Keeping mothers and newborns together during pandemic could save more than 125 000 lives, says WHO

Keeping mothers and newborns together during the pandemic could save more than 125 000 lives, says WHO.

NEW research from the World Health Organisation and partners highlights the risks of separating newborns from their mothers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It claims the health crisis is severely affecting the quality of care given to small and sick newborns, resulting in unnecessary suffering and deaths.

The study, published in Lancet Eclinica lMedicine, highlights the “critical importance of ensuring newborn babies have close contact with parents after birth, especially for those born too small (at low birthweight) or too soon (preterm)”.

However, warns WHO, in many countries, if Covid infections are confirmed or suspected, newborn babies are being routinely separated from their mothers, putting them at higher risk of death and lifelong health complications.

This is especially the case in the poorest countries where the greatest number of preterm births and infant deaths occur.

According to the report, disruptions to kangaroo mother care – which involves close contact between a parent, usually a mother, and a newborn baby – will worsen these risks.

“Up to 125 000 babies’ lives could be saved with full coverage of kangaroo mother care,” says WHO.

“For babies born preterm or at low birthweight, kangaroo mother care (early, prolonged skin-to-skin contact with a parent and exclusive breastfeeding) is particularly critical.”

Among infants born preterm or at low birthweight, direct mother care has been shown to reduce infant deaths by as much as 40 per cent, hypothermia by more than 70 per cent, and severe infections by 65 per cent.

“Disruptions to essential health services during Covid-19 have severely affected the quality of care provided to some of the most vulnerable babies, and this includes their right to the lifesaving contact they need with their parents,” said Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO.

“Decades of progress in reducing child deaths will be jeopardised unless we act now to protect and improve quality care services for mothers and newborns, and expand coverage of lifesaving interventions like kangaroo mother care.”

WHO advises that mothers should continue to share a room with their babies from birth and be able to breastfeed and practice skin-to-skin contact – even when Covid-19 infections are suspected or confirmed – and should be supported to ensure appropriate infection prevention practices.”

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