As concerns grow about the dangers of variants of the coronavirus for pregnant women and young people, Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem said on Sunday that a 32-year-old woman had died of COVID-19 in her third trimester and her baby did not survive. an emergency delivery.
Osnat Ben Sheetrit, a mother of four small children, succumbed to complications related to COVID, despite having no underlying illnesses.
Unfortunately, the mother and fetus were in critical condition, despite the mother being connected to an ECMO [heart and lung bypass] machine, and despite great efforts to save the life of the fetus in the preemie intensive care unit, they died, ”Hadassah said.
A close relative of Osnat posted her photo to Instagram, writing: “A mother of four pure princes has gone through a pregnancy that she did not survive. Our hearts are broken, we are not doing what we have to do with ourselves. There is no comfort. “
Israel last week saw the first recorded case of a fetus dying after becoming infected with the coronavirus. The mother, who went through a stillbirth at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod, tested positive for coronavirus after not reporting the symptoms she was experiencing.
The hospital said that had the woman been vaccinated, she most likely would not have been infected with the virus.
According to the Ministry of Health, 50 pregnant women are currently hospitalized due to complications from the coronavirus.
According to data presented by the ministry on Sunday, 10 of the women are in serious condition and eight are in critical condition – seven on fans and one connected to an ECMO machine.
Prof. Galia Rahav, the head of the Infectious Disease Unit and Laboratories at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, said all women were in the final stages of pregnancy and had not been vaccinated.
Most, she said, were from the Haredi sector and had other children at home.
“I believe their serious illness stems from the UK coronavirus strain,” she said.
“Treating coronavirus patients during pregnancy is not the same as regular treatments, so we definitely recommend vaccination, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy,” said Rahav.
Dr. Ortal Ne’eman, director of the Maternity and Fetal Medicine Department at Assuta Public Hospital in Ashdod, also urged pregnant women to get vaccinated.
“In recent weeks we have witnessed an increase in coronavirus infections among pregnant women. The dilemma of whether or not to get vaccinated is understandable, but not justified, ”said Ne’eman.
“So far, not a single woman in Israel has been diagnosed with coronavirus after receiving the second shot. I implore you to get vaccinated to protect yourself and your fetus. Any hesitation means a possibility of unnecessary infection.”
The Ministry of Health said on Sunday that 48 children under 18 are currently hospitalized with coronavirus, including six in critical condition.
While this represents an increase of eight children in two days, it is below the record number of 50 children in February.