In all, 3,133 institutional deliveries were performed in Nagpur district in the month of January (Jan 1 to 30). Out of them, only 270 were Covid positive.
Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital(IGGMCH) were the leading hospitals where Covid positive deliveries were performed. Special Covid delivery rooms and wards are functional for expecting mothers in both hospitals. In private set-ups, special arrangements for Covid positive mothers were made in selected hospitals.
While GMCH performed 93 deliveries of Covid positive mothers, Mayo did 39. The data further shows that 60% of Covid deliveries were C-sections. Doctors in both the hospitals told TOI that no death of a Covid positive mother or a Covid positive newborn has been reported. “Babies are mostly safe. Not even 1% of them were Covid positive at the time of birth. Mothers also recovered fast and no death has been reported so far,” said a senior doctor from GMCH.
On the Caesarean section deliveries of Covid positive mothers, doctors said the rate is more than normal. “At the national level, 47.4% babies born in private sector are delivered by surgical methods. This percentage is nearly 15% in government sector. In case of Covid positive mothers, doctors had to advise surgical deliveries, sometimes to ensure additional safety and avoid further complications,” said a doctor.
The fifth national family health survey (NFHS) states that the national C-section rate is 21.5% which is higher than what the World Health Organization terms ‘ideal’ 10-15%.
According to doctors, Covid positive pregnant women over 35 years of age, obese, having a pre-existing illness such as diabetes or high blood pressure and having a history of clotting in the limbs were asked to go for the C-section.
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