Israeli woman with coronavirus gives birth at Hadassah
The 35-year-old was taken directly to a specially prepared, isolated room where she gave birth with the help of two protected midwives.
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDSHospital bed in Hadassah Ein Kerem(photo credit: HADASSAH SPOKESPERSON)
A mother with coronavirus has given birth in Israel, with special measures put in place to ensure that the virus was not passed on to the baby or medical staff.The 35-year-old, who was at home in self-isolation, was taken by Magen David Adom to Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem when she went into labor. She was immediately taken to an isolated, equipped room which had been specially prepared for her arrival.With the assistance of two midwives who were protected from contagion, she successfully gave birth. During the day, she tested positive for coronavirus and was subsequently transferred to an isolation ward by herself, where she will remain until she has recovered. The midwife who helped deliver the baby remained by her side throughout the day, and supported her until her arrival at the isolation unit.The maternity unit staff, meanwhile, lavished her newborn son with love and attention, sending his mother photographs. She was also given updates on his condition by the doctor treating him.The separation was understandably difficult for the mother, but the hospital said in a statement that the most important thing was for her to be reunited with him when healthy again, and pledged to support her in the coming days."This exciting and extraordinary event illustrates how vital communication between the MDA teams arriving from the field and the team at Hadassah is – which is commonplace but important these days," said Prof. Zeev Rotstein, CEO of Hadassah.
