Dubai: Mother finally reunites with baby delivered while in coma and infected with Covid

Maham was detected with coronavirus in her second trimester of pregnancy at 23 weeks

Nandini Sircar

Published: Tue 11 Jan 2022, 2:46 PM

Last updated: Wed 12 Jan 2022, 7:23 AM

It was nothing short of a miracle for a young Pakistani couple when the expecting wife successfully delivered her pre-mature baby in a comatose state.

Maham Irfan and Umer Mukhtar were preparing for the birth of their first baby when the mother, Maham, was detected with Covid-19 in her second trimester of pregnancy at 23 weeks.

The expectant mother’s case gradually worsened, leading to severe complications compelling her to get admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital in Dubai.

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At 25 weeks of her pregnancy, attending doctors had to put Maham on a ventilator and give medication to support her heart.

Photo: Supplied

It was a trying time for all, including herself, her family, and the doctors.

The initial plan was to deliver the baby on week 28 to reduce the risk.

But Maham’s condition was getting critical, and waiting longer would have endangered her baby’s life.

The doctors decided to conduct the emergency caesarian section inside the ICU at 27 weeks to save both mother and her baby.

Umer, the husband, says, “I was extremely worried about my wife’s state and the chances of our child’s survival. We were newly married and were so excited about our first baby. When the news came of the critical condition of my wife and baby, I couldn’t believe this was happening to us. What happened was a miracle, and we cannot believe all three of us are happy and healthy and here to tell the story.”

Dr Maged Zakaria, Neonatologist and Pediatric Specialist at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, say, “Survival rates of these tiny babies vary depending on the kinds of interventions a hospital is able to provide. For babies who survive, the risk of future complications or ongoing disability is higher. The whole team was working hard to ensure that the baby receives all the care she needed, providing a multi-faceted support system and a treatment plan dedicated to her. Thankfully, Baby Dua showed great progress and was discharged in a perfectly healthy state.”

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But it wasn’t just the baby who was showing signs of improvement; the mother was getting better as well.

A month after her delivery, Maham came out of coma and was finally united with her baby. She was discharged from the hospital after one-and-a-half months.

Narrating her challenges, Maham says, “I had to learn to talk again, walk again, and carry out any basic function. The team of doctors and nurses were not just professional; they became family. They held me, cried with me, laughed with me, and celebrated every small achievement in bringing me back to life. Words cannot express what they have done for my family and me.”