Preparedness, administrative challenges for establishing obstetric services, and experience of delivering over 400 women at a tertiary care COVID‐19 hospital in India
Niraj N. Mahajan, Rahi Pednekar, Sarika Patil, Alka A. Subramanyam, Surbhi Rathi, Sushma Malik, Shailesh Mohite, Ganesh Shinde, Mohan Joshi, Padmaja Kumbhar, Arundhati Tilve, Pradip D. Lokhande, Shayla Srivastava
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To provide a descriptive account of the challenges and administrative preparedness for establishing and sustaining safe obstetric services during the COVID-19 pandemic at Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital (NH), Mumbai, India. METHODS: The management of pregnant women with COVID-19 was implemented as per international (WHO, RCOG, ACOG) and national (Indian Council of Medical Research) recommendations and guidelines at an academic, tertiary care, COVID-19 hospital in India. RESULTS: Using a multidisciplinary approach and active engagement of a multispecialty team, obstetric services were provided to over 400 women with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. A sustainable model is established for providing services to pregnant women with COVID-19 in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, India. CONCLUSION: With limited resources, it is possible to set up dedicated maternity services, aligned to international guidelines, for safe pregnancy outcomes in COVID-19 settings. This COVID-19 hospital addressed the challenges and implemented several known and novel methods to establish and sustain obstetric services for women with COVID-19. The model established in the present study can be replicated in other low- and middle-income countries.