Johannesburg – Pregnancy is no small feat and with South Africa commemorating Pregnancy Awareness this week under Covid-19, it is important that women are alerted to some of the risks of expecting a child during a pandemic.
Though Statistics SA has no record yet of how many pregnant women have succumbed to Covid-19 or tested positive for the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has noted that pregnant women have an increased risk of developing severe symptoms from the virus and often require care in intensive care unit (ICU).
Older and overweight women, and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes are especially at risk of developing severe symptoms.
In January this year, a 24-year-old Cape Town mother, Anishca Morris, succumbed to the virus after giving birth.
A domestic worker from Mossel Bay, Rozaan November, also died due to Covid-19 complications after giving birth to twins in December. Marzanne Lennox, a 30-year-old from Pretoria, lost her baby at 30 weeks due to Covid-19 complications.
She had no underlying illnesses.
Lerato Masemola, a general practitioner, said one of her patients who was 29 weeks pregnant ended up in ICU for a month.
She said she was fatigued, had a fever, body pains, cough, headaches and a blocked nose.
“Her oxygen saturation was above 95% and she seemed stable enough to not need admission immediately. I took a swab. Unfortunately, it was during the peak of the second wave and I only got her results after two days.
”She wasn’t well, so I insisted she get admitted immediately. A few days later she had to be put on mechanical ventilation and the baby had to be delivered. She spent a whole month in ICU but she is now stronger and should be going home soon,” said Masemola, adding that the baby is well.
Masemola noted some interesting results from a study conducted last June.
The researchers took milk samples from 46 Covid-19 positive breastfeeding mothers and found that 43 samples were Covid- free, while three had broken down the viral particles, not the actual live virus.
“Thirteen of those infants tested Covid- 19 positive but had mild or no symptoms. Infants are more at risk of other infections. WHO recommends continued breastfeeding of infants and young children regardless of suspected or confirmed Covid-19.”
WHO advises pregnant women to eat healthy, not smoke or drink alcohol and to see their doctor regularly.
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