THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While there are signs of the Covid-19 infection slowing down in the state, the health department is keen to ensure that containment efforts do not suffer from complacency. Special focus is on pregnant women whose risk of developing serious illnesses is manifold compared to others.
Considering reports of still and premature births and maternal morbidity within the country and outside, the department is learnt to be giving shape to a statewide campaign that calls for expectant mothers to follow room quarantine strictly and to avoid unnecessary visits, including to hospitals. It will be implemented alongside the Covid prevention and control measures.
“A slew of studies have highlighted that pregnant women with Covid-19 could be at increased risk for severe illnesses. The latest study that came out from the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also stressed the need to take extra care in the case of pregnant women,” said an officer with the health department.
The CDC report, released on Monday, provides the findings of an analysis conducted among four lakh women aged between 15 and 44 with symptomatic Covid-19. It found that ICU admission, invasive ventilation, oxygenation and death were more likely in pregnant women than others.
“Pregnant women should be informed of their risk for severe Covid-19-associated illness and the warning signs of severe Covid-19. To minimise the risk of infection, pregnant women should limit unnecessary interactions with persons who might have been exposed to or are infected with SARS-CoV-2, including those within their household, as much as possible,” reads an excerpt from the report.
At the same time, officials with the family welfare division of the health department said that, though specific directives were given to expectant mothers including following room quarantine strictly and restricting themselves from attending any kind of social functions, a rigorous campaign will get carried out with the help of Asha/anganwadi workers.
Demands are also rising to conduct a study similar to the one carried out in Maharashtra which found that 88 per cent Covid positive pregnant women were asymptomatic.