Pregnant women’s woes amid Covid outbreak: Difficulty in consultations to feeling confined at home

The outbreak of Covid-19 and fear of contracting the infection has led to an unexpected set of challenges for expectant mothers, ranging from difficulty getting

The outbreak of Covid-19 and fear of contracting the infection has led to an unexpected set of challenges for expectant mothers, ranging from difficulty getting medical consultations to feeling confined in their homes.

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Divya Ambre, 27, lives in Mahalakshmi and is expecting her first child. She has been consulting with her gynaecologist via video conferencing. “Not getting the right answers on time leads to more panic. Initially, I did not know how to safeguard myself. Since I have breathing trouble, I could not wear a mask and go out for a walk,” said Ambre, who is in her third trimester.

Nancy, a 29-year-old civil engineer is also expecting her first child and found her levels of frustration rising due to being housebound. “We are asked to stay physically active in this period but even going to the nearby garden feels risky,” she said, adding that the anxiety has made her feel increasingly emotional.

A banking professional in the early stages of pregnancy said she is frightened to go for her first sonography. “I don’t know if the clinic is following all protocols. It’s scary,” she said, requesting anonymity. Additionally, she’s had trouble remaining in touch with her doctor. “Doctors are not even available on phone if I have any doubts. I also know of two pregnant women, my friend and my sister-in-law, who had to change hospitals just before they delivered because they were shut just before their delivery,” she said.

Dr Nandagopal Gopinathan and Saloni Mayekar, founders of Naima, a pregnancy coaching platform that is driven by artificial intelligence, said increased anxiety may lead to the onset of perinatal depression in new mothers. “A common protocol across public and private hospitals is the need of the hour,” said Dr. Gopinathan. “The government needs to fix a standard operating procedure [for hospitals] to be followed in the last two weeks of pregnancy,” said Mayekar.