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Coronavirus fears for pregnant and new moms

Expectant mothers are staying home and feeling fearful.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Many pregnant women and new moms are nervous about protecting themselves and their families from coronavirus.

Rachel Farrow and her husband are over the moon about their new baby.

Little Jonah was born Sunday at a hospital in Lewisburg, but Farrow, a former producer at Newswatch 16, is also incredibly worried.

"I was great until the coronavirus thing, and now it's like all of these crazy fears, but they're not unfounded, know what I mean? I have no idea what this world is going to look like, for us, for him," said Farrow.

Newswatch 16's Stacy Lange is expecting her first child in June. She's working at home, for now, to stay as isolated as possible.

"It just makes me nervous. I just talked to my OB/GYN about risks related to coronavirus, and everything that they're hearing is that I'm at no more risk of catching it than anyone else, but it could complicate the pregnancy."

Messages from people all over northeastern and central Pennsylvania on social media show concerns about getting enough formula, diapers, and wipes. Shelves in some stores are bare.

Health care workers are worried about bringing sickness home to their babies.

It can all seem overwhelming.

"It's just me and my husband. We have no support other than that. We can't have my in-laws come over, and we moved back to this area specifically to have them close," said Farrow. "He's tiny, you know? He can't fight that off, and what other measures can we take other than just keeping ourselves away from humanity?"

Stacy Lange says she's trying to stay positive through all this.  She knows she'll one day have a very interesting story to tell.

 "I keep saying this will be a story to tell him when he's here when he's old enough because it's certainly an interesting time to be pregnant and be anxious about becoming a new mom. It kind of consumes your thoughts."

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