Pregnant women will not be included in the initial phase of the country’s vaccination program when Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) receives its first quota of COVID-19 vaccines.
The confirmation came from Dr. Adesh Sirjusingh, director of the Women’s Health Directorate, during the virtual update of the Ministry of Health COVID-19, Monday.
“Although the science and technology behind the development of these vaccines has been used for many years in the development and launch of many other vaccines, pregnant and lactating women have not been included in clinical trials on the current batch of COVID vaccines. We simply do not have enough data to make a clear recommendation about this vulnerable population.
“Therefore, our country will follow the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO) when it comes to the use of emergency authorization in the population of Trinidad and Tobago. And, of course, use our own situational analysis of the country, which may differ from many others in the world, ”said Sirjusingh.
He mentioned that the country is waiting for additional data and additional study publications, the vaccine will not be authorized for use for pregnant or breastfeeding women in T&T, during the initial launch.
Sirjusingh said in the meantime, pregnant women should always follow all public health measures, especially when attending clinical sessions at health care providers.
Claiming that labor, childbirth and postpartum are essential, the director of women’s health encouraged pregnant women to wear masks, avoid unnecessary touching the face, nose, eyes and mouth, wash their hands and / or sanitize regularly. , ensure that physical distance is observed, avoid congestion and / or socialize, find a safe space away from others if there is a need to eat or drink and avoid unnecessary interactions with people outside their households.
“If you are not well and pregnant, if you have symptoms that suggest infection … cough, fever, difficulty breathing, call your nearest healthcare provider or the ambulance service at 811. Avoid traveling by means of transportation in common.
“If you are pregnant and need to work, please discuss this with your employer, especially if you are a front-line healthcare provider,” Sirjusingh said.
COVID-19 and pregnancy
Offering an update on how pregnant women resolved to contract the virus, Sirjusingh said 39 women in Trinidad contracted the virus at various stages of pregnancy, while Tobago reported only one case.
“Some of these women became very ill and needed care in the High Addiction Unit and care in the Intensive Care Unit. However, all mothers and their newborns have been successfully managed so far. No newborns were affected or had to be hospitalized. ”
Noting that the overall risk of COVID-19 in our pregnant women is slightly higher than in the average healthy population, Sirjusingh added that data are now evolving suggesting that premature labor is slightly increased in women with COVID-19 if in the last months of pregnancy. .
“There is a minimal risk of transmitting COVID-19 to the unborn child or to the child after birth. In addition, there does not appear to be any risk of an abnormal fetal effect in babies born to mothers with COVID-19. ”
He said that breastfeeding is encouraged in women with COVID-19 once they are well enough to do so, and noted that breast milk has antibodies that transmit a certain immunity to a baby against COVID-19.
Sirjusingh said pregnant women who are obese or have pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease and hypertension, belong to a group at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Women who are older when pregnant (over 35 years old) and those in the last three months of pregnancy are also in that high-risk group.
Decline at birth
Stating that the country recorded 15,171 deliveries in 2020, a slight decrease compared to the figures for 2018 and 2019, Sirjusingh noted that there was no need for additional maternity services as a result of COVID-19.
“For the third year in a row, Trinidad and Tobago has met the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals for maternal and neonatal mortality.
“In many countries, maternity and newborn services have been severely disrupted and there has been an excess of mortality. Also, in many countries around the world, there have now been many documented deaths in pregnant women. Fortunately, our country is in a good place with no maternal deaths in Trinidad and Tobago because of COVID-19.
“Unlike other countries, all our maternity and newborn services continued to function normally. And we have successfully implemented isolation and other workflow changes and other protocols in all our public healthcare units to ensure that our patients and staff are protected, ”said Sirjusingh.