COVID-19 Cannot Infect Newborn from Mother: Doctors

AGARTALA/GUWAHATI: Like HIV and hepatitis, Covid-19 cannot transmit to the newborn babies even if the mother had tested positive for the deadly virus, as around 250 nCoV positive women were found to have delivered healthy babies in Tripura, doctors and experts said.

Agartala Government Medical College's (AGMC) Microbiology department head Tapan Majumder said that it is a very positive development that in India there has been no such instance found where the Covid-19 is being transmitted to the newborn baby from the mother even though the coronavirus disease is a communicable disease.

Can Newborn Infect from COVID Positive Mother?

"Congenital and vertical transmission of coronavirus is not possible as there is no receipter at the placenta to receive or entertain the virus. But HIV-positive and hepatitis virus can be transmitted to the newborn baby from the mother," Majumder, also a Professor of the AGMC, told IANS.

During the two pandemic waves, since last year around 250 Covid-19 positive pregnant women have delivered healthy babies at the AGMC, Tripura's main Covid medical college and hospital.

"During the first wave, as many as 214 Covid-19 positive women had delivered healthy babies while in the second wave 35 such mothers gave birth to fit and normal babies. There were also many other cases of caesarean delivery," said Jayanta Ray, Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology of AGMC.

He told IANS that before admission, all pregnant women are mandatorily undergoing Covid testing and if anyone is found with a positive case, due health protocols are being maintained.

"However, family members and relatives of the newborn babies and the women concerned have to be more careful. They should not indiscriminately come closer to both the kid and the mother," said Ray, a renowned Gynaecologist.

Health officials in different northeastern states said that unlike in the first wave children below 15 years are also being tested for Covid-19 in reasonable numbers during the second wave in Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam, forcing the governments of these states to constitute panels of paediatric doctors. (IANS)

Also Read: Despite testing negative, woman gives birth to Covid positive babygirl

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