The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of five pregnant mothers who were treated at the Sungai Buloh Hospital in June and early July.
According to sources in the healthcare system, the victims are part of a spike in coronavirus cases involving child-bearing women that the hospital started seeing since May.
Of the five fatalities, three of them had succumbed to health complications linked to Covid-19 just hours apart on July 8, while the other two deaths occurred in June. The youngest was aged 25.
Malaysiakini learned that the babies of four of the mothers survived, although most of them were born prematurely after having to be saved via caesarean section.
“One baby passed away, but that was because the mother was already unconscious when she was brought to us,” said a healthcare professional, who spoke to Malaysiakini on condition of anonymity.
Sources indicated to Malaysiakini that they started seeing an increase in the number of Covid-19 positive pregnant mothers in May, and more had since come to their doorstep.
In June alone, the hospital, which is the country’s main infectious disease treatment facility, treated at least 100 pregnant patients.
“Where I work, we have around 120 pregnant Covid-19 patients as we speak, across Categories 1 to 5.
“Almost 20 of them are now in ICU,” said a source when contacted earlier this week.
Covid-19 patients Category 1 and 2 either show no symptom or suffer mild symptoms, while those in Category 3 develop some form of pneumonia but can still breathe on their own. Those in Category 4 need oxygen supply while Category 5 patients need a ventilator to breathe.
Some of the Category 5 patients in ICU were relying on high-flow nasal cannula for oxygen, while others were on life support machines, where they need to be intubated.
In many cases, intubation means their babies would have to be surgically removed via caesarean section.
The reasons behind the increasing number of pregnant mothers infected by Covid-19 are not publicly known.
However, doctors suspected that the sources of infection were usually either their husband, other family members who live in the same house, or colleagues at work.
“Most of them never leave their homes except to go to follow-up (medical check-ups),” said a source.
Patients deteriorate faster than before
Malaysiakini learned that it has been a practice by the hospital to admit every pregnant mother who has been tested positive as they are at high risk of developing health complications.
Priority is also given to the group when it comes to intensive care unit (ICU) beds.
However, as Sungai Buloh Hospital is already filled with patients, healthcare workers are concerned with the alarming rate of daily Covid-19 cases.
This means that beds in normal Covid-19 wards and ICU have become scarce despite the hospital capacity having been extended to 800 beds, including 100 ICU.
The worry is compounded by what doctors are seeing today, where the condition of pregnant patients is said to deteriorate even faster than before.
“From experience, a patient can be referred to us from the CAC (Covid-19 Assessment Centre) as Category 1 or 2, but by the time we see her in the ward some of them are already Category 3 or 4.
“They deteriorate very fast. So we don’t take the risk and we will take these patients in even though they are in Category 1 and 2.”
A source said that as the number of cases is soaring, even pregnant mothers have to wait for ICU beds.
“Pregnant moms are always the priority. But even so, sometimes these mums have to wait for these beds.
“Not to sound morbid, but these days, one way to get a bed is if another patient in ICU dies,” said the insider.
Meanwhile, Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah urged pregnant mothers to practice precaution to prevent infection and to get Covid-19 immunisation to protect themselves.
“The virus is already in our community. Comply to standard operating procedures, stay home, and stay safe.
“My advice is, avoid public places and confined spaces. Plus, get vaccinated,” he said when contacted by Malaysiakini on cases involving pregnant mothers.
Malaysiakini has also requested the Health Ministry to provide national data on Covid-19 cases involving pregnant women.
On Monday (July 5), Health Minister Dr Adham Baba told a press conference that there have been cases of pregnant mothers at Category 4 admitted to hospitals, and expected that data on the cases can be released in near future.
According to him, treating pregnant mothers and their unborn child also requires specific treatment and medication protocols.
“Infectious disease specialists and physicians have taken the necessary measures to increase the rate of survival of pregnant mothers who are admitted to hospital due to Covid-19,” he said. - Mkini
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