Visakhapatnam: Expectant moms find it tough in times of pandemic

Visakhapatnam: Ushering in a newborn into a family is an exciting and joyful experience in the best of times.

But during the pandemic, preparing for the labour turned out to be a nerve-wracking exercise for expectant moms.

Since pregnant women are at a high risk of contracting Covid-19 than others, they recall their ordeals faced in such unprecedented times and share how they struggled to hold their bundle of joy in their arms. When Polumahanti Deepthi Lavanya landed in Visakhapatnam from Hyderabad, little did she know that she would soon be incurring her neighbours' wrath. As her due date was nearing, she came to her parents' house for the delivery. "Despite the Covid-19 test result reported as negative, our neighbours sniped at us and avoided us. This apart, we had a tough time even to find an obstetrician and a hospital for the delivery. After making repeated enquiries, we finally got admitted to a private hospital. After all the pain endured, nothing could replace the joy of holding my first-born in my arms," narrates the 29-year-old mother. As per the statistics of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Visakhapatnam registered 13,261 births from April to December last year. While 1,617 births were recorded in the month of September, 2020, 1,566 were registered in August.

Expectant moms recall that they had to endure a lot as the due date drew closer. From monthly check-up to seeking doctor's advice and visiting hospital, it was a horrendous task for the pregnant women in times of the pandemic. "I was in New Delhi when the coronavirus cases were at peak. I survived with just curd rice during the initial five months of my pregnancy. Since my husband is in the Army and posted in Gurdaspur, I came down to Visakhapatnam for the delivery. In the seventh month of my pregnancy, I gave birth to premature twin babies. While my elder child weighed 995 gms, the younger one's weight was 1.2-kg at the time of their birth. After 11 months, they are now hale and healthy," shares Nagarambelli Nirupama, a homemaker. Obstetricians who came forward to deliver babies in unprecedented times were viewed as Gods. "Since I had other complications like blood pressure and diabetes during my pregnancy last year, I could not move around much. Fortunately, my doctor monitored me through video calls and instilled confidence in me during my toughest period. She never insisted on us to visit her in the hospital unless it's required. I am grateful to Dr. BS Krishnamma for the support she gave me in times of dire need," says Angupalli Devi, who gave birth to a baby boy in April last.