Coronavirus / Coronavirus +ve mother gives birth to infection-free baby, father also infected

New Delhi: Coronavirus (COVID-19): His mother had tested positive for COVID-19 but the 10-day-old infant who was born amid the coronavirus scare at AIIMS has tested negative for the disease.

Both the baby’s parents, a senior resident doctor from AIIMS and his wife, were admitted to the institute after they tested positive. Their son is the first baby to be born to a COVID-19 positive mother in India.

“The baby has tested negative for the disease. His mother is asymptomatic but is still positive for COVID-19. We are taking all precautionary measures while dealing with the infant. He is doing well,” said Dr Neerja Bhatla, professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS.

Since this is the first such case in India, the medical institute is recording it for future reference. “This was the first of its kind case in India and it is a learning experience for all of us. We are recording all the developments and techniques implemented during the treatment for future reference,” added Dr Bhatla.

As per the World Health Organisation, women with COVID-19 can breastfeed, but with necessary precautions. The women should practice respiratory hygiene during feeding and wear a mask where available. They should also wash hands before and after touching the baby, and routinely clean and disinfect surfaces they have touched. It also says that the mother can touch and come in close contact with the newborn.

“There is no literature yet explaining that breastfeeding can transmit the infection to the baby. In this case, the mother is breastfeeding the baby but she has to follow all the necessary precautions. We ensure that she wears a mask and all hand hygiene is followed while holding the baby. We are still maintaining distance between the mother and the baby to avoid any risk of transmission,” she said.

The baby boy was delivered on April 3, with the hospital putting all resources to ensure a successful surgery.

During the delivery, the isolation ward where the mother was admitted for treatment was converted into an operation theatre and a team of 10 doctors was deputed to deal with the case. The baby was delivered through C-section surgery.

On April 2, the 38-year-old senior resident doctor working in the department of physiology at AIIMS and his nine-month-pregnant wife had tested positive for COVID-19. Later, his brother had also tested positive for the disease.