Spike in COVID infections among pregnant women

By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon

The number of COVID positive pregnant women was increasing rapidly, Dr. Sanath Lanerolle, Senior Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Castle Street Hospital for Women, told The Island yesterday.

Dr. Lanerolle urged pregnant women to get booster shots as soon as possible. He stressed that vaccines would have no adverse effect on unborn babies.

Pregnant women should be extremely careful about coronavirus, said Dr. Lanerolle, adding that while most women in their first trimester usually recovered from Covid-19 without any side effects to the mother and child, those in later trimesters could face many complications.

“If a pregnant woman has conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity and is over 35, there is a higher risk of complications. “If possible, pregnant women must work from home. Talk to your employer, and try to have some arrangement made for that,’ Dr. Lanerolle said.