Can vaccines cause infertility among women?
Misinformation is nefarious than virus itself. COVID-19 vaccines have been developed using time tested techniques. Vaccines help the body develop immunity against a specific pathogen, it does not affect any other body tissue. In fact, we give some vaccines such as hepatitis B, Influenza, pertussis to women even during pregnancy to protect them and their unborn child from various diseases. These vaccines do not affect the reproductive organs in any way.
Can a foetus contract COVID-19 from the mother?
There is no evidence to support this concern. We have done a couple of studies and found that the placenta, an organ that is formed in the uterus in which a foetus grows, acts as a protective barrier. There are a few cases where the newborn were found infected but we are not sure whether those babies got the infection inside the mother’s womb or soon after the birth.
However, pregnant women must take all the precautions to prevent the infection as COVID-19 can affect her and her child in many other ways.
What should a pregnant woman do if she shows symptoms of COVID-19?
First, if they have any symptoms of COVID, they should get themselves tested at the earliest, as the sooner we diagnose, the better we can manage the disease. The management of COVID is almost the same during the pregnancy as it is for others, but it should be done only under the strict supervision of a doctor.
Besides, women who have associated illnesses such as Diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, etc, need to be more careful, as they may need hospitalisation. So, consult your doctor and keep in touch with your doctor throughout the recovery period.
We strongly recommend an overall health check-up post-COVID recovery to ensure that the mother and the foetus are doing fine.
How can a COVID positive mother protect her newborn? Can she breastfeed?
A mother should continue to breastfeed the baby but is advised to keep the baby at a distance of six-feet from her when she is not breastfeeding. The mother and the child should stay in a well-ventilated room.
Before breastfeeding the newborn, she should wash her hands, wear protective gear such as a mask or face shield. She should also sanitise her surroundings frequently.
If there is no one else to take care of the child, a mother should wear a mask all the time, and maintain physical distance from the child as much as possible.
Government has approved that COVID-19 vaccines can be administered among women even during pregnancy. Elaborate.
During the second wave, many women contracted COVID-19 during pregnancy. COVID, if severe, can lead to serious complications during pregnancy, especially during the last trimester as the uterus is enlarged and presses on the diaphragm, compromising a woman’s ability to cope with a fall in oxygen saturation. This may risk the lives of both the mother and the child. Vaccines will help prevent severe disease in pregnant women.