Doha: Only a few pregnant women with COVID-19 have been admitted to the hospital for treatment in the country and all babies born to the virus positive mothers undergo a testing, said the Ministry of Public Health, yesterday.
The Ministry issued an information leaflet ‘Infection with coronavirus (COVID-19) during pregnancy’ and it provides guidance for pregnant women, and women who just had their babies.
It also includes some information for pregnant women whether or not they are infected by COVID-19. Addressing a common concern, can the baby be negatively affected if the mother has COVID-19, the leaflet says, “From what we know so far, COVID-19 is unlikely to cause birth defects in babies, affect the baby’s development nor does infection increase your risk of miscarriage.”
Although the available evidence is limited, it could be possible that baby, while still in the womb, can get infected. If a pregnant woman has a COVID-19 positive test it is likely you will usually deliver at the Cuban hospital in Dukhan. That hospital is dedicated to care for pregnant women with COVID-19 infection.
“A very small number of babies have been tested positive for COVID-19 soon after birth. We are not certain yet if this infection occurred in the uterus (womb) or if it happened soon after birth. So far, neither this is confirmed nor the exact risk the baby could face in case of getting an infection is known. However, on a positive note, so far, all reported cases of newborn babies who develop COVID-19 very soon after birth, these babies were well,” according to the information leaflet ‘Infection with coronavirus (COVID - 19) during pregnancy’.
If a pregnant woman is tested COVID-19 positive, she will be assessed by the dedicated team who will guide on management and follow up location.
Most pregnant women can be isolated in one of the quarantine facilities. Only a few pregnant women with COVID-19 will need admission to hospital for treatment, usually this is provided at the Cuban Hospital until their condition improves and then they are transferred to one of the quarantine facilities.
“Having an infection doesn’t mean automatically that this will affect the timing of your delivery or that we will deliver you earlier. In most cases if you are well, your pregnancy will normally continue as if you are not infected,” it says.
However, in very few cases especially if the mother has severe symptoms and have pneumonia, she may have an increased risk of preterm delivery (delivery before 37 weeks).
“We don’t know yet if the severe infection leads to the preterm delivery or that doctors decide to deliver you early because you are very sick to benefit your health and get you better. Pregnancy itself, increases the risk for clotting in the legs and lungs. There is also some evidence that COVID-19 is a hypercoagulable state (another risk factor for clots). For that reason, you will be offered blood thinning injections if you are admitted with COVID-19,” says the leaflet.
The patient information leaflet is prepared by Dr Salwa AbouYakoub Chair of obstetrics, Dr Mariam Al Beloushi, Dr Gamal Ahmed, Senior Consultants in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Women’s Wellness and Research Centre, Hamad Medical Corporation in collaboration with the MoPH.
