Hyderabad: Expected mothers need to be extra cautious in the current time when Omicron cases are on a raise, said Dr. Bindu Priya, Consultant Urogynaecologist and obestetrecian, KIMS hospital, Secunderabad. She explains how the COVID cases are increasing, what may be the impact on pregnant women, the precautions they need to take, etc.
“The impact of Omicron variant of COVID on pregnant women is not yet completely known. Pregnancy doesn’t increase the risk of getting COVID. But, it can be a serious illness in pregnant women, putting both mother and the baby at risk. So, pregnant women also should follow the same precautions as other people to protect themselves from COVID. They are,
Precautions for pregnant women during pandemic
1) Wear a mask covering your mouth and nose
2) Follow hand hygiene – frequently wash your hands with soap or alcohol-based sanitizer
3) Maintain a social distance of at least 2 feet – avoid crowded places
4) Postpone unnecessary travels especially international travel and stay indoors with proper ventilation
5) Consider getting vaccinated for COVID as per government regulations
6) Take a nutritious diet and maintain adequate hydration
If you have symptoms of COVID like fever, running nose, sore throat, cough, breathing difficulty, headache, body ache, vomiting, loose stools, pain in your tummy, or any other unwell feeling, consult your doctor at the earliest.”
Dr. Bindu Priya also stressed pregnancy care in the COVID time. She said, “Pregnant women need to take all the necessary precautions while visiting the hospital. They can also consider telemedicine facilities if they have a low risk of pregnancy. Breast-feeding women should continue to feed their babies, following all the COVID-appropriate behavior.
Vaccination is top priority
There have been lots of myths and misconceptions surrounding the COVID vaccination of pregnant mothers. It is an accepted fact that clinical trials of vaccination in pregnant women are lacking. But, till date evidence from many countries shows that there have not been any serious concerns with regard to the covid vaccine in pregnancy. That may be the only best possible solution as of now to protect pregnant mothers from this deadly infection. It is also found to be safe for breastfeeding mothers”, explained Dr. Bindu Priya.
The omicron variant-led COVID cases are increasing at an alarming level all over the world, including India. Nearly 1.80 lakh new COVID cases have been recorded on the 10th of January in our country. So, one should be very careful, and pregnant women in particular need to be extra cautious.