Open AccessModifying an obstetric unit to incorporate COVID19 without jeopardizing usual workflow: adapting to the ‘new normal’
Author(s) -
Jayasree Sundar,
Chanchal Singh,
Shivani Sabharwal,
Neha Khandelwal,
Naveen Parkash Gupta
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
medical research archives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2375-1924
pISSN - 2375-1916
DOI - 10.18103/mra.v8i10.2272
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , medicine , triage , covid-19 , safeguarding , workflow , medical emergency , intensive care medicine , emergency medicine , obstetrics , nursing , surgery , computer science , disease , database , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Objective: The exponential rise in pregnant women infected with COVID19 mandates that more and more hospitals cater to infected women while continuing their routine work. The aim of this paper is to report on rapid adaptation of an existing perinatal facility to provide care for COVID-positive pregnant women while safeguarding routine care and suggest a workflow algorithm. There is still no consensus on routine testing of asymptomatic women requiring admission for delivery. Case report: We report delivery of our first two COVID-positive women, one of whom was asymptomatic and found to be positive on testing prior to planned induction of labour. Conclusion: It is imperative that hospitals provide a safe zone within an existing facility to optimise care of infected women and their newborns without affecting routine obstetric care. Routine testing of asymptomatic women at high-risk of infection may make triage and segregation easier and minimise spread of infection.