Pregnant women have probably thought of the question, ‘What if I catch Covid-19?’ Doctors say they needn’t worry: there are ways to beat it and ensure the child is not affected.
Dr Prathima Reddy, senior obstetrician and gynaecologist at Fortis La Femme Hospital, says unlike dengue and swine flu, Covid-19 doesn’t pose an increased risk to pregnant women.
“There is also very little evidence to suggest that there is transmission from mother to child. This means that pregnant women need not take any extraordinary safety measures,” she says.
But that doesn’t mean they can skip safety measures. They have to take precautions like everyone else.
“Many mothers are flouting distancing rules to conduct traditional ceremonies and baby showers, and this is not encouraged. Social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing must be strictly followed,” says Dr Prashanth S Urs, senior consultant, neonatology, Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road.
Dr Prathima advises her patients to take Vitamin C, Zinc and Vitamin D to strengthen their immunity. “A simple lime juice should be enough to give you Vitamin C, so you need not turn to pharmaceutical supplements,” she says.
If the mother remains Covid-19 negative throughout the pregnancy, the delivery and after-care will be no different from usual. “If they test positive early in their pregnancy, they are advised to follow the instructions of the doctor treating them. There is no evidence of risk to the baby in this case,” says Dr Prathima. It is imperative that mothers communicate honestly about their symptoms. “Hiding things and delaying testing is harmful for all parties involved. Knowing you have the disease is the most important step towards getting help to overcome it,” she says.
If a woman tests positive close to the due date, the procedure is different. “If it’s over two weeks to go, we wait it out, if not the obstetrician takes a call on delivery, to wait for the natural birth or to go the C-section route,” she says. Fortis La Femme has a separate floor and operation theatre for Covid-19 positive mothers.
Post-delivery care will depend on the status of the baby. “We test the baby within 72 hours of delivery. During this time we separate the mother and child so as to decrease any risk of transmission,” says Dr Urs.
If the baby tests negative, it can be attended to by a family member or caretaker who has tested negative as well. “If the baby is positive, we allow it to be with the mother,” he says.
Fortis La Femme follows a different protocol. “The mother is isolated from everyone else but we keep the baby with the mother, in a crib that is placed six feet away,” says Dr Prathima.
She explains that these are guidelines given by multiple doctors’ associations and they help the mother cope with isolation better.
In case of both the mother and the baby doing well, they are discharged and advised home quarantine.
Dr Urs emphasises that if the baby is negative, it must be kept away from the mother or in the same room, six feet away and with a barrier.
Dr Prathima on the other hand says the distance of six feet should be enough. The mother is to call in with an update in a week and child is scheduled for a checkup in two weeks. This may differ from case to case.
Both doctors advocate breastfeeding. Dr Prathima says the mother can directly breastfeed after thoroughly washing her hands and wearing an N95 mask. Dr Urs says a breast pump may be used as an extra precaution and if the mother is unwell.