Covid fear cuts off pregnant women from world

Expectant parents worry about lack of tests and also shudder over stepping out

Pregnant women and their spouses have been living in fear for the past couple of months due to the Covid-19 situation. This fear has only increased, now that they are being told to “learn to live with the virus.” Most expectant couples have locked themselves in, barely stepping out unless absolutely essential.

This has often been at the expense of medical attention that is considered indispensable.

Amareshwari, a software engineer from the city who is expecting her second child in less than two months, has not undergone a scan in two months. She was told that scans and tests would be performed only if they were absolutely necessary. “We are worried if the baby’s growth is on track, whether there are any complications,” she said.

Karthik, her husband, said that Amareshwari was barely getting any activity. “Pregnant women are asked to go for a walk, but I can’t let her step outside the house. I don’t know how much of an effect this will have on her health,” he said. With two at-risk persons — Amareshwari and their three-year-old daughter — Karthik has chosen to stay at home.

Some couples have had it much harder. Manohar (name changed) has been away from his now eightmonth-pregnant wife

“Pregnant women are asked to go for a walk, but I can’t let her step outside the house. I don’t know how much of an effect this will have on her health.” — KARTHIK Husband of a pregnant woman

Vimala (name changed) for two months. Just before the lockdown, Manohar had travelled to his family home near Visakhapatnam, where he has been stuck. Vimala, who had been living with her mother near Gachibowli, recently developed severe complications and was adjudged by her doctors as “at-risk”.

Manohar, who has been trying to get a “travelpass” to Telangana state since mid-April, said, “She and her mother have been struggling; they have trouble getting a cab to take them to the hospital. If I was there, I could take care of all that.”

After multiple tweets to the AP police and TS police, Manohar was able to get a travel pass on Sunday. “The doctors have told us my wife needs urgent surgery. I just hope to be there by her side,” he said.

The lockdown has been especially tough on couples living away from either side of the family. Rakesh and Sai Sri, residents of Balanagar, don’t have family nearby.