Four expectant mothers are hospitalised in the Obstetrics Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) with COVID-19, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony disclosed today.
The women are among 74 patients hospitalised around the country. Of that number, 53 are at the Infectious Disease Hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast of Demerara (ECD), two at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), two at Mahaicony and 10 at the New Amsterdam and Skeldon Hospitals, the Minister said.
Minister Anthony said that expectant mothers, who test positive, are “isolated in a separate area”.
“We do have about 12000 to 14000 births every year, and those mothers we’d probably do about 8,000 or so births at the Georgetown Hospital. So, mothers would come in and we administer the COVID-19 test just to make sure and sometimes we find that women, who are to give birth, also test positive. So, we have to take extra precautions to make sure that they’re okay and also to reduced spread among the nurses and other patients within the ward,” the Minister noted.
He reminded that pregnant women can take the COVID-19 vaccines, but should consult with their obstetrician if they have doubts.
“The advice is; during pregnancy, it’s okay to take the vaccine, however, it’s better if those persons, who have any doubt, to consult with their obstetrician to just make sure that they have that discussion, and I’m sure that the obstetrician would be able to clarify or clear any doubts they might have.”
The minister added that similarly, mothers who are breastfeeding can continue to do so.
“It is safe to do it. So again, we encourage pregnant women to get their vaccines and we encourage mothers who are breastfeeding to get their vaccines. There’s no adverse outcome,” he said.
