Coronavirus: Pregnant woman tests positive in Karnataka, admitted to Victoria Hospital

A woman who is four months pregnant is among the eight COVID-19 patients admitted to Victoria Hospital.

Admitted on Friday, she became the first pregnant woman in the state to test positive for COVID-19.

Dr. Geeta Shivamurthy, medical superintendent, Vani Vilas Hospital, located in the Victoria Hospital campus, said her hospital did not receive a request for consultation from the woman.

“Worldwide, there is no instance of coronavirus crossing the placental barrier,” she said. “We have orally conveyed to Victoria Hospital that a pregnant woman can be treated like any other COVID-19 patient.”

Dr. Hema Divakar, former president, Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies in India (FOGSI), said: “In China, researchers had done a study on placentas of pregnant women after the babies were born. They did not find evidence of the virus. Since she is only four months pregnant, she will test negative by the time her gestation is complete. She may test negative in three weeks.”

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But some like Dr Prathima Reddy, director, senior obstetrician and gynecologist, Fortis La Femme, Richmond Road, admitted to uncertainties on how the disease would behave. “By and large, there’s no vertical transmission from mother to child. We’re awaiting more evidence,” she
said.

Dr Prathima said all studies about mother to child transmission has come only from China. Also, the number of pregnant women studied since December has been very small.

“This (disease) isn’t something we have known for years or months. We have to wait and watch. All testing can be done only after the baby is born,” she cautioned. She also said a cure in the case of COVID-19 means the virus had run its course like any other viral infection. “There is no cure yet,” she added.