(Jamaica Gleaner) A number of expectant mothers are expressing fear as their delivery dates draw nearer due to the tragic sequence of events which resulted in the death of 23-year-old first-time mom Jodian Fearon over a week ago.
Fearon, who had visited the Andrews Memorial Hospital in St Andrew to deliver her baby, reportedly presented with symptoms of COVID-19, which has caused a deadly coronavirus pandemic, triggering a frantic search for an appropriately equipped facility to take her. Hours after delivering her baby at the Spanish Town Hospital, she passed away at the University Hospital of the West Indies. Her COVID-19 test also came back negative.
Pointing to the breakdown in COVID-19 protocols for labouring patients, the expectant mothers have expressed fear that the health system could again fail another mother in distress.
Speaking to The Gleaner as she walked out of the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, where she is expected to deliver her bundle of joy in May, Sheneeka Blair said she has been experiencing a dry cough for the past week and fears the worst if it does not go away by the time she is in labour.
A dry cough is among the range of symptoms of the COVID-19 respiratory disease.
“I have a cough like a dry cough, that is the only thing that worries me because I’m saying, if I go there to have my baby, they might reject me. The cough is not because of coronavirus but because I will drink cold things sometimes. I fear that because of this one dry cough, I could possibly lose my child or my life. I am due for May 24, and I am really worried about what will happen if I don’t get rid of the cough by then,” she said.
Further, the 22-year-old expectant mother shared that even though she does not believe that a health facility should reject a pregnant woman, regardless of the circumstances, she is mentally preparing for the worst because of Fearon’s case.
BETTER MEASURES NEEDED
Another expectant mother, who is registered to deliver her baby at the University Hospital of the West Indies, said she is also worried and is hoping that better measures will be implemented to deal with the swirling virus.
“I am a bit fearful … because of all that occurred with Jodian, so I’m thinking will our health system fail for me or prevail. It is not as drastic for me as those expecting to deliver this week or next month because I am due in October, but the fear still exists,” Waydean Knight told The Gleaner. “I think better measures and strategies should be put in place with the whole COVID-19 thing going around, because if you come in with a slight cough, that doesn’t mean you have COVID.”
Obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr Michael Abrahams agreed that due to the recent event and the fear that might be engulfing pregnant women islandwide, the Ministry of Health should issue guidelines on how to deal with suspected cases of COVID-19 in labouring mothers.
“This is scary and I think the ministry should issue guidelines to say if you are pregnant and labouring and have symptoms this is where you go. This is very important because Jamaica has 14 parishes, so there can’t be just one place to go. If I was pregnant, I would be scared now,” Abrahams said. “There needs to be something that is rational and that everyone understands, having symptoms this is what I do.”
