The New Indian Journal of OBGYN. 10(2):249-256

Management of COVID-19 infection in antenatal, laboring, post-partum women and their newborns: a narrative review

Naina Kumar, Vikas Bhatia

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 outbreak was declared a global pandemic of international concern in March 2020 by the World Health Organization. It has affected millions of people including pregnant women and children across the globe. Severe COVID-19 infection though rare in pregnancy is associated with high chances of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortalities. The present review briefs the management of mild, severe, and critical COVID-19 infection in antenatal, laboring, and postpartum women and their newborns. Recent literature was searched from various English language peer-reviewed journals from the PubMed database, governmental sites including World Health Organization, centers for disease control and prevention, and the official site of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists using search terms like COVID-19 infection in pregnant women; Management of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy; breastfeeding and neonatal care in COVID infected mothers, COVID-19 vaccination. Hence, it was observed that appropriate and timely management of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy is essential and can save the lives of both mother and fetus. Furthermore, with the start of vaccination in pregnant and lactating mothers, the chances and severity of disease in both mothers and fetuses can be prevented to a large extent. Prevention from infection, timely management, and vaccination against COVID-19 infection in pregnant and lactating women are the only effective ways of combating this disease.