Cuban Hospital designated for maternity cases with COVID-19

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has implemented several measures to protect pregnant women and new born babies from COVID-19. It has designated Cuban Hospital as a dedicated facility for COVID-19 affected mothers to deliver babies, said Dr. Mai Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Medical Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Women’s Wellness and Research Center (WWRC). All pregnant women going for labour at HMC hospitals are tested for the virus, she added.

“In compliance with the new evidence based international information we have started to screen all mothers coming in for labour at WWRC or other HMC hospitals as a protective measure. Once the test is known to be positive, the patient will be transferred to designated Cuban Hospital,” Dr. Al Qubaisi told The Peninsula.

“Our staff follow strict infection control measures, as they may be involved in the direct care of COVID-19 patients before their diagnosis is known or confirmed,” she said.

Although, the incidence of COVID-19 being transmitted to the baby during delivery or during breast feeding is very low, several precautions are followed for the safety of mother and child.

“At the moment there is no evidence that the virus can be carried in breast milk, it is recommended that we encourage mothers to breastfeed and have skin to skin contact with the baby. But the main risk of breastfeeding is close contact between mother and baby, so if the mother is COVID-19 positive, she has to wear a face mask and we have a special neonatal mask with extra protection, wash hands with water and soap before touching baby, breast pump or bottles,” said Dr. Al Qubaisi.

In case if a COVID-19 positive mother deliver preterm baby, the baby has to be transferred and admitted to NICU in WWRC.

“If the mother is COVID-19 positive, will have to take extra precautions because the baby’s immune function will not be developed. The mother will not be able to go to the NICU and she will have to express breast milk for the baby,” said Dr. Al Qubaisi.
“In case if we find a baby in NICU infected with COVID-19, the baby will be immediately isolated,” she added.

However, she said that until now there are no cases of COVID-19 positive mother delivered premature baby or COVID-19 positive babies in NICU care.

“While at WWRC we have moved most of our regular outpatient appointments to telemedicine appointments, and we have implemented a number of new services that are keeping patients out of the hospital, including an urgent consultation hotline and a medication home delivery service,” Dr. Al Qubaisi.

“But some services must be provided in a clinical environment and all possible precautions are being taken to limit patient exposure to COVID-19,” said Dr. Al Qubaisi.