Pregnant women who test Covid +ve delivering early

The infection is causing them to give birth prematurely, say gynaecologists

Pregnant women with Covid-19 are likely to deliver premature babies, doctors say.

Low immunity and physiological changes that reduce lung capacity render pregnant women vulnerable to contracting the virus. Reduced lung capacity in turn decreases oxygen saturation and causes difficulty in breathing.

Dr Hemavathi Srinivasan, gynaecologist, has seen a baby being delivered in less than eight months. “Contracting Covid during pregnancy leads to strained breathing because the immunity levels are already low. There are no complications for the baby, but the mother takes time to recover,” she says.

She recommends a well-balanced diet and exercises to strengthen the lungs.

India has not yet prescribed vaccines for pregnant women, but their counterparts in the West who have taken the jab are alright, she says.

A slight restriction in the growth of the baby and early deliveries are noticed among women with Covid infection, says Dr Hema Divakar, senior gynaecologist.

“But, we have been fortunate to see no increase in abortions this year or malformations in babies that are born to Covid patients. It is not just Covid, even chronic infections lead to pre-term deliveries. The C-sections have also increased,” she says.

Dr Thejavathy G V, consultant gynaecologist, says the number of Covid positive among pregnant women is more this year than the last.

She points out that the physiological changes during pregnancy make them vulnerable for complications like formation of blood clots. “The other effects of Covid infection in pregnant women are pre-term labour and early rapture of water bag,” adds Dr Thejavathy.

“With low oxygen supply, stillbirths are also seen. In the case of HIV, you can predict the result and give proper medication, but in the case of Covid, especially the double mutant, there is no definite treatment,” she says.

She advises pregnant women to take utmost precaution. “The complication in this second wave is that the variant is severe and does not always show classic signs of Covid infection. Earlier, throat swabs would directly determine whether the person was positive, but now the virus directly enters the lungs. That’s why sometimes the results show negative,” she cautions.