Tag: PREGNANCY

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-Top News COVID-19 UK News

More pregnant women urged to get Covid jab

pregnancy

Some pregnant women will have been vaccinated before this date if they are clinically vulnerable or are a healthcare worker, therefore these figures are likely to be much higher…reports Asian Lite News.

Health chiefs are encouraging more pregnant women to get their COVID-19 vaccine, as new data shows that 51,724 pregnant women in England have received at least one dose.

The data, from Public Health England (PHE), shows these were all women aged under 50 years of age, who reported that they were pregnant or could be pregnant at the time of receiving the vaccine. Of these, 20,648 women have received their second dose.

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) had earlier advised that pregnant women should be offered the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population, based on their age and clinical risk group.

Some pregnant women will have been vaccinated before this date if they are clinically vulnerable or are a healthcare worker, therefore these figures are likely to be much higher.

The PHE also suggested the pregnant women to be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available, as there is more safety data available on these vaccines in pregnancy.

“It is brilliant to see so many pregnant women coming forward for their COVID-19 vaccines, ensuring they protect themselves and their baby from this awful virus,” Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said.

Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford-on-Avon.

“While uncommon, severe illness from COVID-19 is more likely in later pregnancy and infection increases the risk of a premature birth. The COVID-19 vaccines are one of the best defences against infection, preventing at least 11.7 million infections in England alone,” he added.

PHE said women who are planning pregnancy, who are in the immediate postpartum period, or who are breastfeeding can be vaccinated with any vaccine, depending on their age and clinical risk group.

“It is encouraging that thousands of pregnant women have received a COVID-19 vaccine – we strongly urge anyone who has not yet taken up the offer to get both doses as soon as possible and for pregnant women to come forward for their second dose 8 weeks after their first dose,” Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at PHE, said.

“The vaccines continue to save thousands of lives and we are confident that they can be safely offered to pregnant women, but if you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to discuss these with a healthcare professional.”

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COVID-19 India News Woman

BMC-hospital is Covid-hit moms’ cradle for safe delivery

BMC-hospital is Covid-hit moms' cradle for safe delivery

The first such delivery of an infant by a Covid-19 positive mother took place on April 14, 2020 at the height of the pandemic…reports Asian Lite News

Marking a significant achievement, the civic-run BYL Nair Charitable Hospital has just completed its 1025th safe delivery for a woman infected by Covid-19 – and may walk into record books, excited officials said.

The first such delivery of an infant by a Covid-19 positive mother took place on April 14, 2020 at the height of the pandemic at the hospital run by BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

“Of around 1,025 safe deliveries so far, there was one set of triplets, 19 twins and the remaining 984 were single bundles of joy whose first cries brought cheers to the lives of their anxious parents,” the hospital Dean & Director Dr Ramesh Bharmal said.

The achievement comes hand-in-hand with the Supreme Court’s observations this week patting the BMC’s handling of the Covid-19 situation and asking other states like Delhi to follow the ‘Mumbai model’.

The BMC attributes the success of Nair Hospital to the sheer dedication of the medical, para-medical and support teams at the hospital under the guidance of BMC Commissioner I.S. Chahal, Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani, Dr Ramesh Bharmal, and other top officers.

“They slogged 6 hours consecutively without even drinking water as they wore PPE kits, did all their duties tirelessly practically 24X7, spending days in hospital without going home, and dedicated themselves without complaints to the care of the Covid-19 positive pregnant women and their special needs,” said Dr Bharmal.

Also read:Canada lends helping hand to India

“Covid infection is not congenital. Even if the mother is infected, the unborn baby is not infected but can become positive after coming in contact with the mom after birth,” explained Dr Sushma Malik, head of the departments of neo-natal and pediatrics care.

As per protocols, all newborns of Covid-infected women are also tested and though some infants born here during the year were found positive, they were asymptomatic and later discharged after they tested negative, she added.

Dr Bharmal said that while a majority, or over 60 per cent of the deliveries were ‘normal’, the rest were through the Cesarian Section, and there was not a single fatality among the mothers or the infants in the first Covid-wave.

“However, this time, the second wave of Covid is affecting pregnant women, babies and children� So far in the past nearly 3 months, we have recorded around a dozen unfortunate deaths�” he added.

The hospital had to take special care to ensure hygiene in the two main departments – the obstetrics and the neonatal intensive care units to ensure they were sparkling clean with regular efforts by the ward-boys and other conservancy staffers.

Another problem that confronted the doctors was breastfeeding the newborn infants to ensure their proper nutrition but without getting infected from the mom.

Maha rashtra Covid cases surge

“For this, each woman admitted was handed a full Covid protection kit like sanitizer, soap, facemask, toothpaste, brush, oils, combs, towels, kerchiefs, and served a protein-rich diet comprising cereals, pulses, eggs besides counselling and all other precautions to ensure the baby remained infection-free,” said Dr Malik.

“During my delivery at the BMC’s Kandivali Shatabdi Hospital in April 2020, all the people, medical and non-medical staffers, security, took full precautions. Any unauthorized persons were barred on the maternity floor, no crowds anywhere, etc,” said a Dahisar housewife, Priyanka K.G. who delivered a baby girl (Kasturi) there amidst huge apprehensions.

Dr Bharmal said with pride the Nair Hospital probably the only such success story notched in the country’s medical history as per available information, and further scientific documentation with additional research is currently underway to claim an entry to Guinness Book of Records.

Also read:Switzerland sends medical aid to India

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-Top News COVID-19 USA

Covid-19 vaccine safe for pregnant women: CDC

pregnancy

A team evaluated data from more than 35,000 pregnant women who received the mRNA vaccines between December 14 and February 28…reports Asian Lite News

The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are safe for use during pregnancy and may also protect the baby from the infectious disease, according to a large study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC “recommends that pregnant people receive the Covid-19 vaccine”, NPR.org reported CDC Director Rochelle Walensky as saying.

For the study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the team evaluated data from more than 35,000 pregnant women who received the mRNA vaccines between December 14 and February 28.

The preliminary findings showed no obvious safety concerns.

“Importantly, no safety concerns were observed for people vaccinated in the third trimester, or safety concerns for their babies,” Walensky said. “As such, CDC recommends that pregnant people receive the Covid-19 vaccine,” she added.

A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination campaign for healthcare professionals in Nice

However, the decision to get vaccinated while pregnant is a “deeply personal” one, said Walensky.

Pregnant individuals reported pain at the injection site more frequently than their nonpregnant counterparts but fewer follow-up symptoms such as headache, chills, muscle pain and fever.

Also read:Pause on J&J Covid-19 vaccine lifted

Further, the rates of preterm births and miscarriages among the vaccinated people who completed their pregnancies during the study period were similar to those of the general pregnant population, the report said.

“Preliminary findings did not show obvious safety signals among pregnant persons who received mRNA Covid-19 vaccines,” the researchers said.

“However, more longitudinal follow-up, including follow-up of large numbers of women vaccinated earlier in pregnancy, is necessary to inform maternal, pregnancy, and infant outcomes,” they added.

Early clinical trials of the two-dose shots did not include pregnant individuals, limiting data and creating a sense of uncertainty for many.

But, the CDC, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and American Academy of Pediatrics have all previously issued guidance “indicating that Covid-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant persons,” as the study noted.

The new study did not look at the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the report said.

Also read:CDC reveals Pfizer, Moderna jabs effective in real world

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Health Lite Blogs

Tips to lose weight on a PCOS diet

Exercise daily. Exercise plays a huge role by keeping weight in check, this helps regulate the hormones and increases chances of ovulation…writes Siddhi Jain.

Are you dealing with the stressful symptoms of PCOS? Be it missed periods, excessive hair growth on the face or body, weight gain, acne and fertility issues. The pandemic made it all the more difficult to consult our doctor face-to-face to deal with these problems, but digital healthcare platforms have made it easier for women dealing with such queries to consult the right doctor.

The Covid-19 pandemic may have accelerated the shift towards digital healthcare practices in India, but its adoption among women in 2020 — especially in non-metro cities — has been significant. Registering an overall growth of more than 212 per cent from the previous year, online consultations emerged as one of the preferred modes of consulting doctors by women in India, according to data from Practo.

According to Practo, more women in non-metro cities opted for online consultations in 2020 — growing at an average rate of 550 per cent, compared with 400 per cent recorded among women in metro cities. This means that even as the majority (65 per cent) of the total number of online consultations done by women in 2020 were from metro cities, there has been a steady increase in the percentage of women from non-metro cities adopting telemedicine. In fact, this trend has been developing over the past three years.

PCOS, skin allergy, weight loss, thyroid, depression, hairfall, and UTI were some of the most discussed queries by women from non-metro cities last year, says the health platform.

Women with PCOS have numerous cysts in their ovaries, caused by an overproduction of hormones called androgens. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that prevents the ovaries from functioning properly. PCOS is also a red flag for the inception of type 2 diabetes, explains Prabha Acharya, Homeopath, who also consults on Practo.

For few women, gaining weight can influence their hormones. If you’re obese or overweight, this might help get your hormones back to normal. Losing 10 per cent of your body weight may help your menstrual cycle become more predictable. This should help you get pregnant.

Therefore, weight loss prior to conception helps improve live birth rate in obese women with or without PCOS. In simple words, living a healthy lifestyle and following diet, with regular exercise, no smoking, less stress, and control of diabetes and other medical conditions prescribed by your doctor should improve your fertility odds. To lose weight on a PCOS diet, re-frame your thinking to eating to live, not living to eat.

Quick tips from the doctor:

1. Drink a lot of water and keep yourself well hydrated.

2. Eat foods low on the glycemic index. Low glycemic index foods are carbohydrates that break down slowly in the body, not causing a dramatic spike and then drop in insulin levels. Eat oats, brans, whole grains, broccoli, apples, etc. Avoid foods that are sugary and starchy such as: syrups, sugar, jams, scones, white bread products etc.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables for good fiber intake. Fiber helps promote healthy estrogen metabolism which aids in the reduction of elevated levels of androgens. E.g. whole grains, apples (with skin), green leafy vegetables, etc.

Eat small frequent meals in a day and avoid skipping any meal and especially the first meal of the day i.e. breakfast.

4. Include lean protein in your diet. E.g. lean chicken, fish, egg, nuts, legumes, pulses, low fat dairy products, skimmed milk, etc.

5. Eat healthy Omega-3 fats in diet. Sources: fatty fish, olive oil, walnuts, flax seeds, etc. And avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, such as meats, cheeses, and fried foods.

6. Get some sun rays for 10-15 mins for your Vitamin D requirement. Great food sources of vitamin D are cod liver oil, eggs, salmon, etc.

Exercise daily. Exercise plays a huge role by keeping weight in check, this helps regulate the hormones and increases chances of ovulation.

Distress yourself. Try yoga.

7. Avoid drinking aerated drinks. Avoid processed, junk food..Quit smoking and alcohol. Regular visit to doctor for follow up.

Follow your plan and most importantly believe in yourself, because only you have the potential to change your circumstances!

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