Covid-positive pregnant woman dies after C-section at MCH, baby girl fine

The newborn, however, is fine and she is on a ventilator. “Sameera was eight months pregnant but her condition was deteriorating.
A health worker conducts COVID-19 rapid antigen test. (Photo | PTI)
A health worker conducts COVID-19 rapid antigen test. (Photo | PTI)

KASARAGOD: A 36-year-old Covid-positive pregnant woman with multiple comorbidities died in the early hours of Sunday after a caesarean section was performed at the Government Medical College Hospital, Pariyaram. 

The newborn, however, is fine and she is on a ventilator. “Sameera was eight months pregnant but her condition was deteriorating. So we decided to go for a C-section. We saved the child but could not save Sameera,” said Ajith S, gynaecologist of the medical college hospital. Sameera is survived by husband Mohammed Haneefa, daughter Sahba and the newborn girl.

The family — natives of Nayanmarmoola in Vidyanagar in Kasaragod — had returned from Saudi Arabia a year ago. “Sameera had multiple existing conditions such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and had undergone nephrectomy to remove a kidney,” said Dr Ajith. 

The District Hospital in Kanhangad referred her to Pariyaram MCH on Wednesday. “She had breathlessness when she reached here. We provided all the latest treatment but her condition worsened and the oxygen level dipped,” he said.

‘First Covid +ve pregnant woman to die in MCH’

On Saturday morning, the doctors decided to perform a C-section. “The newborn weighed 1.7 kg and is on a ventilator. She is doing fine,” he said. After the surgery, the mother’s condition deteriorated further and she died past midnight. “None of her conditions would have been a problem if there was no Covid,” he said. “This is the first death of a Covid positive pregnant woman in Kannur Medical College Hospital.

To date, the hospital attended to 341 Covid-positive pregnant women. As many as 210 babies have been born to Covid-positive mothers here. “Only 32 of the babies tested positive for Covid and they went on to recover from the disease,” said Dr Ajith. Sameera’s baby is yet to be tested for Covid-19.

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