A pregnant COVID-19 patient who suffered from serious complications gave birth earlier this week at Hadassah Hospital against all odds, a press release from the hospital read.
Noa Oz from Modi'in Illit was hospitalized in August in an advanced state of pregnancy. Doctors were forced to sedate her and put her on a ventilator machine after her condition rapidly deteriorated.
"I don't really remember much of it," Oz recollected. "I was sedated and ventilated for seven straight weeks, after which I remained in the hospital for a rather long time. People keep telling me that I almost died and that it's a miracle that I am alive and able to hug my baby," she said. Statistically, Noa is lucky. Only yesterday, the conditions of three different women who tested positive for the novel coronavirus while pregnant deteriorated, and they had to be connected to ECMO (external breathing aid) machines, according to the reports by their respective hospitals. As of Thursday, Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer had 12 pregnant women in critical condition.
Dr. Asaf Schwartz, a senior physician at the Hadassah coronavirus ward explained that the decision to put Oz on a ventilator was crucial for giving her fetus a fighting chance. "The family wanted us to do everything in our power to save the baby, and we did," he said.
It took more than two months of treatment, but Oz eventually pulled through, "proving how strong she really is," Dr. Schwartz said, noting that most doctors in Hadassah had heard about her story at one point or another.
And even after surviving the ordeal and successfully giving birth, Oz still faced a challenging recovery process before finally being able to leave the hospital that had become her second home in recent months. "Luckily, she overcame the difficulties with the help of a trained and professional medical team, a loving family that never gave up and an unwavering will to get better," Dr. Schwartz said.
Anat Hertz, a social worker who accompanied Oz throughout the difficult ordeal, noted the difficulties that Oz’s family and family members of COVID-19 patients in general, go through.
"That moment, when a person who was a central figure at home, is suddenly absent for a long period of time, is very traumatic for the entire household. Especially when a life-threatening situation is constantly looming above, and especially when we're talking about young children who can't grasp the meaning of the situation," Hertz said.
Oz was one Hadassah's COVID-19 patients in the worst condition and was considered one of the country's worst cases in pregnant women. The fact that she has recently returned home with a healthy baby girl is truly something to be celebrated.
"Thanks to the medical teams at Hadassah and to God, I was blessed with giving birth to a beautiful baby girl. I don't have the words to thank you enough," Oz said.