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Being pregnant during COVID-19 has been a rather stressful experience for Andrene Byfield, who is seven months pregnant with twins.

She is now faced with safeguarding her unborn children from a virus that can be detrimental to their health while ensuring their safe delivery.

Byfield, who resides in Maryland, USA, told THE WEEKEND STAR that since the past month, she hasn't been able to do any physical examinations.

"It has been well over a month since I have been medically examined at all. My OBGYN was very sceptical about me coming into office because I had been out of the country. But I assured them I had self-quarantined, and they set up an appointment," she said

Her appointments are now virtually administered, which she believes is not an ideal procedure to assess her babies.

"People like me who are having high-risk pregnancies are required to be seen every week. My OBGYN has offered to do virtual appointments, but how do I know both my babies are fine over a video call?" she said. "I myself do not go outside at all because it's scary, and I'm afraid of putting myself and my babies at risk."

Byfield was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a complication during pregnancy resulting in severe weight loss.

She is till trying to correct the condition by doing fetal-growth therapy. Byfield is worried that she will not be able to ward off COVID after a possible contraction.

"It's nerve-racking for me, honestly, especially since I am a high-risk twin pregnancy, and I had plenty of complications earlier on in the pregnancy," she said

She told THE WEEKEND STAR that it has also been difficult for her partner because he is an essential worker.

"These will be the first children for my partner. He's excited, but we have to be separated because he's an essential worker and he's scared of putting me and the babies at risk," she said.

Byfield's expected delivery date is in July. While being excited, she is still dreading the possible outcome of her pregnancy.

"I'm excited to meet my babies. I just wish it wasn't during a pandemic and things were different," Byfield said. "When my babies are born, I won't be able to touch them, no skin to skin. They have to go straight to the newborn intensive care unit to make sure they aren't sick, and I have to be quarantined again to make sure I am fine as well.

"Some hospitals are allowing one person to be with you for support. Some aren't allowing any. So this is a lot for me to take in along with everything that's happening," she added.