A TOTAL of 70 deaths due to complications from Covid-19 involving expectant mothers were reported in Malaysia this year, compared with zero such cases last year, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.

This works out to an average of two cases a month from January to May, said the director-general of health.

“However, the deaths increased exponentially since June 2021 when 17 cases were reported. Data showed that two of the cases received their first dose of vaccine while 15 cases did not receive the Covid-19 vaccine,” he said.

He said 47% of the expectant mothers who succumbed to Covid-19 were co-morbid.

This comes after singer Siti Sarah Raisuddin succumbed to Covid-19 on Monday, days after giving birth to her fourth child.

Siti Sarah, along with her husband and children, had tested positive for Covid-19 since July 27 after undergoing screening when their maid was confirmed positive.

Meanwhile, a total of 3,396 Covid-19 cases involving pregnant women were reported in Malaysia between March 2020 and June this year, he said, adding that about 1% of expectant mothers in Malaysia were estimated to have contracted the coronavirus.

Noor Hisham said cases have been on the rise since October last year, with an average of 200 cases reported a month. 

The numbers jumped to 850 cases a month in May 2021 and subsequently to 899 in June.

“The rise in Covid-19 cases involving expectant mothers is in tandem with the overall increase in Covid-19 cases in Malaysia,” he said.

Noor Hisham said one in 20 expectant mothers needed critical care.

The number of expectant mothers who needed intensive care also increased from 3% on July 10 to 5.3% on August 7. 

Noor Hisham said as of Sunday, 146,759 expectant mothers have registered on the MySejahtera application for vaccination under the ibunisasi campaign launched on June 2021.

Of this, 83,251 or 57% of those registered have received at least one dose of vaccine while 20% have been fully vaccinated.

However, Noor Hisham said the registrations for vaccination on MySejahtera is still low, as only 40% of pregnant mothers have registered.

He urged all expectant mothers to get vaccinated to reduce the risk of Covid-19 complications if they get infected.

“Since pregnant mothers are in the high-risk group with the potential to contract severe Covid-19 infection, precautionary measures is very important to prevent Covid-19 infection,” he said.

“Husbands must support their spouse to ensure that they get the Covid-19 vaccine. The vaccination must be completed before the final phase of the pregnancy, which is the third trimester,” he said.

Noor Hisham advised pregnant mothers who have yet to get their appointments to contact their nearby health clinics. 

Expectant mothers were also advised to:

1. Remain at home unless there are pressing matters to attend to outside.
2. Practise the new norms and comply with standard operating procedure (SOP) to prevent Covid-19 infection.
3. Family members should also comply with SOP while outside their homes to prevent infection.
4. Ensure that family members under quarantine adhere to the complete procedure.
5. If a pregnant mother has been confirmed as Covid-19-positive, including an asymptomatic infection, they must be present at the Covid-19 assessment centre (CAC) for doctor’s assessment. Follow the doctor’s advice if they need to be monitored at a healthcare facility.
6. If the pregnant mother is at home and the symptoms worsen, then she will have to go to nearest clinic or CAC.
7. In the event of an emergency, contact 999 or head to the nearest hospital. The patient or their family members can also press the SOS button on MySejahtera for immediate help. – August 11, 2021.