Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been great concern about how to protect the most vulnerable – particularly newborns. In past pandemics, newborn babies and young people have been at an increased risk of disease and death. This has probably influenced Covid-19 guidelines in hospitals and healthcare systems.
A recently published global survey found that newborns were being separated from their mothers in half the world’s countries last year as a precautionary measure if the mother had tested positive for Covid-19. Separating a baby from its mother at birth can have negative consequences for the health of both the mother and baby. This must be weighed against the possible benefits of keeping them apart.
Yet more than a year into the pandemic, the outcomes for babies born to mothers who have had Covid-19 remain largely unknown and unreported, putting great stress on families and healthcare providers.
