New Delhi:

About one in 10 women who acquire COVID-19 infection during pregnancy are likely to suffer longer from long-term COVID symptoms like fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and feeling drained in routine life, finds a study.

COVID acquired during pregnancy is known to be much more dangerous as it can lead to stillbirths and preterm births.

The study, published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, included 1,500 participants who already had Covid during pregnancy and reported the symptoms after six months.

Of these 9.3 per cent of people reported experiencing long-term symptoms. These included fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and feeling drained or exhausted by routine activities.

“This is an important study for the pregnancy and postpartum times are the most vulnerable and this study gives insights on the linkage between Covid and pregnancy,” said Dr David Goff, division director for the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US.

The researchers also called on obstetricians “to be vigilant” because the symptoms of long-term COVID can overlap with the symptoms of pregnancy itself.

To ensure that the reported long Covid symptoms weren’t symptoms of pregnancy, a secondary study was done on people who reported symptoms more than 12 weeks after giving birth. The results confirmed the findings.

As the prevalence of long Covid in pregnant populations is high the researchers called on health practitioners to keep an eye out for its symptoms.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A couple in Louisiana, United States, welcomed “spontaneous triplets”, the term used for naturally conceiving identical triplets, a rare occurrence that happens to one out of one million to 200 million pregnancies. Haley and Matthew Cordaro gave birth to the trio at Willis-Knighton South & the Center for Women’s Health in late August, as per a press release. 

Haley went into labour at 31 weeks, resulting in the preterm birth of their children. All three of them weighed less than three pounds and have been in the hospital since their birth. The couple, who are also parents to a three-year-old daughter Kennedy, told People Magazine, “We were so fortunate and blessed to have made it 32 weeks and to have delivered three healthy babies considering all the potential risks when pregnant with multiples. We know we will have some challenges ahead but are ecstatic for our new life with the girls.”

Dr Gerald Brent Whitton, a NICU doctor, who has been taking care of Claire, Ella and Lily Codaro said in the press release, “They have done very well. It has been a straightforward and uncomplicated stay. As we get closer to the babies’ release, we will get the parents up here and get them used to taking care of all three at the same time.” However, the girls have to pass three tests, as per the hospital. They must have any breathing problems resolved and should be able to maintain their temperature in their crib. The last test requires them to be able to eat consistently. 

Hospital authorities stated that Matthew and Haley were “surprised” to discover they were expecting triplets during an ultrasound check. They added that neither side of the couple had a history of multiple births. Mr Cordaro said that they were in “absolute disbelief” when they heard the news and their feelings shifted from happiness to nervousness. “Our feelings then shifted towards worry due to the pregnancy being very high risk in nature. Once we got to the second trimester and on, our doctor visits continually brought great news,” he told the outlet. 

When the trio turned a month old, the mother posted an update on Facebook and said that they were gaining weight and would be home soon. “Happy one month to these little angel babies! They have been working on bottle feeds & gaining weight and should be able to come home in a few short weeks!” Ms Haley wrote on the social media platform in September. In another post, she wrote that her three-year-old is ” just smitten with her little baby sisters!”

New Delhi:

In strong observations while hearing a woman’s request to terminate a 26-week pregnancy, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked if the petitioner wanted permission to kill the child through a court order.

The Supreme Court has asked the woman’s counsel and the centre’s lawyer to speak to her before the next hearing tomorrow morning.

The three-judge bench led by the Chief Justice of India is hearing the married woman’s petition for the permission to abort the 26-week pregnancy. A mother of two, the woman has said she is suffering from depression and is not in a position to raise a third child, emotionally or financially.

On October 9, the court had allowed her to proceed with the pregnancy. The centre then sought a recall of the order, citing the advice of a panel of doctors at AIIMS Delhi against the abortion. Yesterday, a two-judge bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice BV Nagarathna gave a split verdict. Following this, the Chief Justice of India-led bench took up the matter.

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court has placed on hold an order allowing the termination of a 26-week pregnancy after the government submitted a medical report indicating the foetus is “viable”, i.e., it shows signs of life and has a strong possibility of survival. The court, hearing a government plea to recall its order, said it wanted to hear from the woman before passing the new order.

The hearing is to resume at 2 pm.

The top court, which yesterday allowed the termination, was irked by the last-minute AIIMS report, and demanded to know why it had not been presented sooner. “Why only after our order? Why were they not candid earlier? Which court wants to stop a foetus with a heartbeat? Certainly not us, for heaven’s sake,” Justice Hima Kohli said.

On Tuesday, a different bench of the Supreme Court allowed the couple to abort their 26-week-old pregnancy after the petitioner argued that the woman, who is a mother of two children, is suffering from various health issues and from postnatal depression.

The woman said she is financially, emotionally and socially not in a position to raise a third child while she is already breastfeeding her second child.