"The group with the highest risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19 are pregnant women over 35 who are overweight (BMI [body mass index] 25-29), obese (BMI 30 or more), suffer from diabetes and chronic arterial hypertension before pregnancy," the ministry's guidelines say.

According to the health ministry, an additional factor for increased risk of contracting COVID-19 for pregnant women is working in health care or other social professions.

"It has been shown that the incidence of COVID-19 … in pregnant women is significantly higher than in the general population," the ministry’s guidelines say.