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New Delhi, August 29
“Pregnant women with certain high-risk conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions, asthma, cystic fibrosis, homozygous sickle cell anemia, or those on immune suppression therapy, dialysis, or disease. Advanced chronic kidney disease, congenital or acquired heart disease and organ transplant recipients have a greater risk of severe disease from Covid-19 ”, explains Sumitra Bachani, Associate Professor, Department of Gynecologist and Obstetrician, Safdarjung and Vardhaman Hospital Mahavir Medical College.
She said pregnant women with symptoms of Covid are at increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including admission to intensive care, iatrogenic preterm delivery, hypertension-like symptoms associated with pregnancy, l surgery and even death.
In addition, there is a higher risk of developing complications from Covid if a pregnant woman contracts the infection during the third trimester, which is the last three months of pregnancy. This is because the large uterus puts pressure on the diaphragm and hinders lung capacity, making it more difficult for the woman to maintain oxygen saturation, she said.
On the issue of transmission of infection from mother to fetus, she said that such transmission to fetus during pregnancy is still being researched. To date, we have observed that mild to moderate Covid-19 infection in mothers does not significantly affect the fetus or newborn. However, in severe cases, the fetus is at risk for perinatal morbidity due to hypoxia or low oxygen saturation, preterm delivery and mortality.
However, mother and child can stay together in the same room if the mother does not have severe Covid-19 that requires hospitalization. Make sure the room is well ventilated and that there is someone else in the family who is Covid negative to take care of the infant. A mother should wear a mask and maintain a distance of 6 feet from the child. However, she can breastfeed the child, adds Bachani.
Asked about the Covid vaccine for pregnant women and young mothers, Bachani added that they should definitely take the vaccine.
Experts say the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with Covid-19, especially if it is contracted during pregnancy. In addition, there is an additional advantage: a vaccinated mother also passes the antibodies that she develops after the vaccination to the unborn fetus through blood as well as through breast milk.
However, she added that, like the general population, pregnant women should also avoid getting vaccinated if they have an anaphylactic or allergic reaction to the previous dose of Covid-19 vaccine or to other vaccines or injectable therapies, products. pharmaceuticals, food products, etc.
“If she has recently been diagnosed with Covid-19 infection, she must wait 12 weeks from the onset of infection or 4 to 8 weeks from recovery from active Covid-19 infection to take the vaccine, ”added Bachani. – IANS
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