KOLKATA: With an increasing number of pregnant women getting infected in the second wave, the state health department has came out with a Covid management protocol for pregnant women and newborns.
“By now, there are some evidence that pregnant women are susceptible to Covid complications.
When the disease is severe, it could result in stillbirth or pre-term delivery,” said gynaecologist Basab Mukherjee, vice-president of the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India.
The protocol issued on Friday suggests pregnant women to undergo regular antennal care check-ups and antenatal ultrasound tests.
But doctors said that in most cases, pregnant women are taking to telemedicine consultation for their pregnancy.
And if they are infected, they are coming to hospitals very late.
“Pregnancy itself is an immune-compromised stage.
Therefore, if they are infected, the chance of getting severe diseases is quite high,” said gynaecologist Sujata Datta.
Pulmonologist Raja Dhar of CMRI has seen double the number of infected pregnant women in a span of three months in this second wave than what he came across during the first wave.
“None of the drugs used in Covid treatment had their trial on pregnant women, who are more prone to cytokine storm.
It is double whammy in cases of severe infections as we have to see the risk and benefits while giving any of those medications that will have an impact on the foetus,” said Dhar.
Though transmission from mother to baby during birth has been ruled out, the health department guideline has advised a 6ft distance between the mother’s bed and the infant’s crib.