Periodic check-ups during pregnancy can save the child, say health experts

Any medicine that mothers take and is harmful to the baby may cause miscarriage and also deformities

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 14 (EMN): Babies dying due to miscarriage, stillbirth and other causes are quite frequent in Nagaland, which is mainly caused by medical problems and complications in the mother, ‘and of course some people intentionally terminate,’ said senior obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Kezevituo Keditsu.

On the occasion of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, which is observed by many countries on October 15, Eastern Mirror spoke to health experts to create awareness on the importance of prenatal care.

Dr. Keditsu, who is also the managing director of Putuonuo Nursing Home in Kohima, said that around 10 cases of pregnancy miscarriages or premature birth etc. happen in the facility in a month.

He said that during the lockdown period, people from neighbouring villages and far off places could have stayed home and failed to undergo proper treatments because of transportation problems, causing miscarriage. “We have to be very careful and follow all standard operating procedures during this period. If they have miscarriage from home and come to the hospital, we take care of them,” he added.

He suggested that pregnant women should have periodic check-ups and if there is any comorbidity, it should be corrected as it can save many pregnancies. He added that the fear of getting infected by coronavirus could prevent people from getting their periodic check-up but it can affect their pregnancy.

“If a pregnant woman has high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia, then controlling their blood pressure and diet through proper prescription can save the mother as well as the baby’s life, but if they do not come for examination then they will not be aware of their blood pressures and what medicines they should take,” he said.

He further mentioned that mothers dying during childbirth are not common because they can be saved with the modern medicines, but such cases usually happen in villages where doctors are not available.

Keditsu said that mothers should ‘not take medicines as they like’ as it can have severe side effects on their children when they grow up even if they are physically normal at birth.

‘Any medicine harmful to the baby may cause miscarriage and also deformities, not immediately but there are instances where, if they take medicines, the child after 18-19 years gets cancer and other side affects including eye sights and hearing problems,’ he informed.

Another gynaecologist, who didn’t wish to be named, told this newspaper that ‘we (Nagaland) may have a 5% miscarriage cases which is same with the national level’.

“It is not very common but there are miscarriages because of their own carelessness or because of infection or some unknown causes,” he said.

He shared that the main cause of such misfortune ‘cannot be stated but on their part, they discourage teenage pregnancy’ and also encourage mothers to have at least 2-3 years gap between child birth.

“After 2-3 children, we encourage them for family planning, sterilisation (permanent or temporary) for the health of the mother and child, and depending on their options we give facilities,” he said.

Stressing on the need to take good care during early pregnancy, he said that ‘if the mother does not take care and do too much work, travel and do many heavy works, there are chances for bleeding and if they do not take proper care, it may lead to miscarriage’.

Some miscarriages take place because of maternal infection in early stages while some causes are unknown, but comorbid factors lead to high chances of miscarriage, he affirmed.

So, he advised pregnant women to go for regular check-ups throughout the pregnancy period. “If they do not undergo periodic checkup, they might not take proper care and diet, iron, minerals, calcium, and even some undetected illness,” he pointed out.

He informed that in early pregnancy, nausea and vomiting is common which also spoils the health of the mother. ‘But there is medication for that, so when they come for check-up, we advise medications and when that period is over, we continue to give iron and calcium that will help them in maternal mortality and morbidity,’ he said.

He also said that there are cases where the mother dies during childbirth but the number is not much according to data recorded in hospitals. However, he said the figures could be incorrect as there are many unreported cases in remote places.