The lives of a COVID-19 positive woman, who was in the 28th week of her pregnancy, and her baby were saved by the decision to perform an emergency Caesarian section.
N. Ezhilan, consultant, general medicine, Kauvery hospital, who treated her first, said she had severe symptoms of COVID-19 and 30% to 40% of her lungs were affected. “The presence of the foetus in the uterus was making it difficult as her lungs could not expand to the full capacity,” he said.
Sabeeha T.S., senior consultant, obstetrics and gynaecology, said a decision was made to perform a Caesarian section to deliver the baby though the woman had not completed her full term of pregnancy. Hemalatha Iyanar, consultant anaesthesiologist, said they had to opt for general anaesthesia.
N. Sridhar, head, critical care, said that after the delivery, the woman had to be kept under a medically induced coma and on ventilator to facilitate aggressive, invasive treatment needed to fight COVID-19 and mainly to improve her lung capacity. “We kept her in a prone position to improve oxygen level. Her lungs started improving after two days.”
Karthik Thiagarajan, neonatalogist, said that though the baby was doing fine initially, sepsis and related complications set in after a week, and it remained critical for about three days. “We provided a combination of treatment... Now, the baby is doing fine,” he said.
