Caring for pregnant woman during pandemic
Many pregnant women contracted Covid-19 amid the second wave of coronavirus. Women’s immune system weakens during pregnancy and that may cause additional risks for them. Generally, people do not want to visit doctors without acute symptoms. It may affect the lives of both the mother and child. Extra care is needed to protect the mother and child amid the pandemic.
Studies have shown that corona-infected pregnant women have higher blood pressure as their physical complications increase. The risk of having a premature baby also increases at the time.
Separate protective arrangements should be made for a pregnant woman in the house with corona infected patients. Due to the pandemic, it is not possible to go to the physician regularly at this time. Telemedicine services may be a solution in this case. In addition, the mother’s weight, blood pressure, blood glucose levels and other physical conditions can be measured with weighing scales, blood pressure measuring instrument and glucometer.
Ultrasound must be done at certain specific times. For example, an anomaly scan must be done at 22 to 24 weeks to see if there is any birth defect in the foetus. Keep notes of addresses, phone numbers and management of four or five hospitals near your house.
If a pregnant woman is infected with Covid-19, she should consult a physician immediately. For her treatment, a hospital where medical treatment is available for both pregnancy and coronavirus should be chosen. Covid infection may require the pregnant women to undergo certain tests such as CBC, CRP, D-dimer, Ferritin and LDH. X-ray or CT scan of the chest may be needed.
If a mother is infected with corona after giving birth, she can breastfeed her child. Newborns are less likely to be infected with coronavirus through breast milk. But the hygiene rules must be maintained. The mother will wear a mask when breastfeeding the infant, after washing hands and wearing clean clothes. If the mother cannot breastfeed properly, she should breastfeed with the help of someone else.
Those who conceive after taking the first dose of the Covid vaccine can also take the second dose of the vaccine. However, if someone gets pregnant before taking the vaccine, she should talk to a specialist before taking the vaccine. Those who are breastfeeding have no problem getting vaccinated.
*Sharmin Abbasi is an associate professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology in Anwer Khan Modern Hospital