Coronavirus and Pregnancy

 Written Wahida Sabir

A small number of pregnant women can become unwell with COVID-19. Pregnant women who suffer from COVID-19 are at slightly increased risk of becoming severely unwell compared to non-pregnant women.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some covid-19 patients and a physician about this disease at Rabia Bulkhi Maternity Hospital in Kabul city.

A woman, a resident of Daikundi province says, “This is my 5th month of pregnancy. I am suffering from coughing, severe fever, and breath shortage and without the ventilator, I could not live.”

A woman from Kabul province says, “It was 47th month of my pregnancy that I felt bad fever, body ache and shortage of breathing. After nine days, I went to the hospital. I delivered a dead baby.”

Doctor Sayed Haseebullah Hashimi, an internist in Covid-19 section, Rabia Balkhi Hospital says, “Pregnant women infected with coronavirus are more facing with the risk of high blood pressure; delivering of a premature baby; if causes the shortage of breath, they might die.”

Why is Covid-19 more dangerous to pregnant women?

A woman from Farza district, Kabul province says, “As pregnancy causes weakness so that these women are more infecting coronavirus than others.”

A woman from Paghman district, Kabul province says, “Most women suffering from anemia during pregnancy, and they infect with more diseases than others.”

Doctor Hashimi says, “Pregnancy is a physiological condition in which normal and abnormal changes occur in mothers. Although the exact cause of the increased risk in pregnant women is not known yet, all physiological changes can increase the risk of Covid-19. for example, blood clots during pregnancy, lowering the amount of oxygen, lack of energy, not getting enough food, lack of body fluids, high blood pressure and others.”

How do some people prevent this disease in pregnant women?

A woman from Kabul province says, “One of my sisters died of coronavirus. The wife of my son was pregnant and she wanted to go to the funeral ceremony but I prevented her. Later, she had a normal delivery and now she and her baby are in good health condition.”

Fazulrahman, a resident of Paghman province says, “My wife was pregnant and I quarantined her at home. Her sister and husband of her sister were infected with coronavirus but I did not let her go to their home. After some time, my wife safely delivered her baby.”

Doctor Hashimi talks about the quarantine of pregnant women, “In the beginning, pregnant women were banned from applying Covid-19 vaccine, but after the research, they are advised to apply this vaccine but they should use facemask; avoid going to a crowd; wash their hands with soap and clean water; eat more vegetables; fresh fruits and liquids. If a mother infects with coronavirus, she should not stop breastfeeding because coronavirus doesn’t transfer from breastfeeding but they should observe the health tips.”