An estimated 2.4 million babies will be born in Bangladesh under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, said UNICEF on Thursday.
The country ranks 9 in terms of the highest expected number of births for the period of 9 months from the date of the pandemic declaration on 11 March.
Globally, the number is 116 million.
These babies are projected to be born up to 40 weeks after COVID-19 – currently straining health systems and medical supply chains all over the world – was recognised as a pandemic on March 11.
Even though there is no significant change in the maternal mortality ratio and neonatal mortality rate, an analysis of data in the Directorate General of Health Services dashboard shows that since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, there is a significant reduction in the uptake of maternal and newborn health services from the health facilities.
Only 33 district hospitals in Bangladesh are performing all key functions of emergency obstetric care out of 63, according to Unicef.
“Despite the pressure on the health system due to COVID-19 situation, routine lifesaving services for the pregnant mothers and newborn babies need to continue with proper infection prevention and control measures. UNICEF is working with the government of Bangladesh to save lives by ensuring that pregnant mothers and sick newborn babies receive the required care in the months to come,” said Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF Country Representative in Bangladesh.
UNICEF supported the government to maintain maternal, newborn and child
health services during the pandemic through guidelines and training for doctors, nurses and midwives in the area of infection prevention and control.
This helps prevent the spread of the virus, and protects health workers and patients.
It includes triage (separating COVID-19 patients from non-COVID-19 patients), handwashing and other hygiene measures, and rational use of personal protection equipment.
UNICEF called on governments and donors to maintain lifesaving services for pregnant women and newborns with 116 million expected births in the approximately 9 months since the COVID pandemic was recognized.
New mothers and newborns will be greeted by harsh realities, UNICEF said, including global containment measures such as lockdowns and curfews; health centres overwhelmed with response efforts; supply and equipment shortages; and a lack of sufficient skilled birth attendants as health workers, including midwives, are redeployed to treat COVID-19 patients.
“Millions of mothers all over the world embarked on a journey of parenthood in the world as it was. They now must prepare to bring a life into the world as it has become – a world where expecting mothers are afraid to go to health centres for fear of getting infected, or missing out on emergency care due to strained health services and lockdowns,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director.
“It is hard to imagine how much the coronavirus pandemic has recast motherhood.”
Ahead of Mother’s Day, recognised in May in over 128 countries, UNICEF warned that COVID-19 containment measures can disrupt life-saving health services such as childbirth care, putting millions of pregnant mothers and their babies at great risk.
Countries with the expected highest numbers of births for the period of 9 months from the date of the pandemic declaration (11 March) are: India (20.1 million), China (13.5 million), Nigeria (6.4 million), Pakistan (5 million) and Indonesia (4 million).
Most of these countries had high neonatal mortality rates even before the pandemic and may see these levels increase with COVID-19 conditions.
Even wealthier countries are affected by this crisis. The US is the sixth highest country in terms of expected number of births.
Globally, UNICEF warned that although evidence suggests that pregnant mothers are not more affected by COVID-19 than others, countries need to ensure they still have access to antenatal, delivery and postnatal services.
Likewise, sick newborns need emergency services as they are at high risk of death.
New families require support to start breastfeeding, and to get medicines, vaccines and nutrition to keep their babies healthy.
