Several pregnant women have died of COVID-19 in Mexico

As of June 21, 50 pregnant women have died of the new coronavirus, according to Mexico’s COVID-19 czar Hugo López-Gatell .

The pregnant women who have died during the pandemic represent the lowest figure of comorbidities among people who have died of COVID-19 in Mexico : 0.2%.

Other comorbidities in Mexico are hypertension (41.99%), diabetes , (37%), obesity (25.08%); chronic kidney failure (6.76%), COPD (5.34%), cardiovascular disease (4.98%), immunosuppression (2.83%, asthma (2.02%), and HIV/AIDS (0.54%).

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In that context, Héctor Valle, president of the Mexican Foundation for Health , informed that pregnant women are the group that has received more medical care in the collaboration agreement for the medical care of patients of the public health system in private hospitals that are not focused on treating patients with coronavirus.

So far, 5,472 women have been received in private hospitals: 4,426 for giving birth, pregnancy, and postpartum bleeding, and 1,046 for c-sections.

In a news conference held on April 9, Hugo López-Gatel Ramírez broke the news on the first two pregnant women who passed away due to the new coronavirus.

“I want to share sad news; the death of two pregnant women. One passed away after giving birth to a boy via c-section; the baby had respiratory issues for a brief period and is still in a delicate condition; we hope he gets better but the mom passed away; it must be stressed that she had morbid obesity and diabetes , while the other woman had gestational diabetes and morbid obesity.”

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The officer remembered that in 2009 , during the AH1N1 flu epidemic , pneumonia became the second cause of maternal death when usually this disease is on place 12 or 13.

“The flu epidemic was what turned this disease in the second cause of maternal death; we must be extremely careful with pregnant women; they must be considered highly susceptible to dying,” he said.

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López-Gatell stressed that preventive measures for pregnant women are staying home, practicing social distancing, constantly cleaning their hands, and suspending any work activity.

He urged all pregnant women to denounce at Mexico’s Labor Prosecution (PROFEDET) if they are forced to continue working during the health emergency .

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