The Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (IOG) and Government Hospital for Women and Children has started vaccinating lactating women. In two days, 12 lactating women have received COVID-19 vaccines at the hospital.
It was in mid-May that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare accepted fresh recommendations from the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 for vaccinating lactating mothers.
Earlier, the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India had also stated that lactating women should be considered as COVID-19 vaccine candidates as there were no known adverse effects on the neonate who is breastfeeding.
K. Vijaya, director of IOG, said they have started to counsel women on the importance of vaccination soon after delivery. Following this, some of them came forward to take the vaccine. They were vaccinated on the third day after delivery.
“We are counselling the mothers, and also informing their family members on the importance of vaccination. We clear their doubts and allay their fears,” she said.
The hospital received the vaccines from the Greater Chennai Corporation on Tuesday. She said that it was better to vaccinate the women prior to discharge from the hospital. “Once we vaccinate a woman, we monitor her closely. We have set up a designated post-vaccination ward with a round-the-clock duty doctor and nurse. This is to keep them under observation. We transfer the mother and newborn to the respective wards after 24 hours,” she said.
On an average, there are 35 to 40 deliveries a day at IOG.
