ABBOTABAD/ KARACHI:
A full-term pregnant woman diagnosed with dengue and her unborn infant died during a C-section at the Ayub Medical Complex (AMC) on Friday night.
“Yes, she was diagnosed as dengue positive by the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, but her death was caused by gynaecological complications which also resulted in a stillborn baby,” AMC Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Iftikhar told The Express Tribune.
He said Shahnaz Bibi, a pregnant woman in her mid to late 40s, was brought to the AMC from Mansehra four days ago with high fever and other dengue symptoms.
“The doctors in the operation theatre tried everything to save her life, but ultimately she died of gynaecological complications, not dengue fever,” claimed the MS, adding she had been given white blood cells to increase her platelet count before the operation.
Speaking about the patient’s death, AMC Deputy MS Dr Manan said when she was taken for surgery her platelet count was between 50,000 and 60,000. Like Dr Iftikhar, he claimed certain complications caused her death rather than dengue. However, both officials were unable to share the exact cause of death.
According to international medical standards, the platelet count must be increased to 70,000 before a dengue patient is discharged. Dengue is a hemorrhagic fever.
Dr Sehrish, a medical officer at a private hospital, said excessive bleeding during surgery, infection due to death of the baby in the womb and low platelet count could have been responsible for Shahnaz’s death.
According to Dr Azra Ahsan, a senior gynaecologist in Karachi, during pregnancy, the body’s immunity is reduced. Resistance is low to begin with and diseases contracted during this period will have a more severe effect compared to when a woman is not pregnant.
“If you get dengue when you’re pregnant, then you’ll get the worst form of the disease,” she said.
“For a pregnant woman with dengue, there can be several complications such as a low platelet count, low white blood cells count and the tendency to bleed. When you operate on a patient with low platelets, there is a severe risk of haemorrhage and even the newborn will have low platelets.”
Dr Ahsan this makes the patient prone to infections and further complications. “If rushed into surgery, it means the mother was low on platelets and in a risky condition.”
Outbreak
Replying to a question, Dr Iftikhar said only six dengue-positive patients were admitted to the isolation ward of AMC, while over 70 suspected cases were treated and discharged after making a complete recovery.
He said being the only tertiary health care facility in Hazara, AMC receives three to four suspected dengue cases on a daily basis from across the division. “We are on high alert at all times and have the facilities to cope with the situation,” the MS asserted.
Meanwhile, more than 55 suspected cases of dengue have been reported from Mansehra district, with 12 people confirmed as positive. There are unconfirmed reports of two people succumbing to the virus in the region.
According to official sources, District Headquarters Hospital Haripur has registered over 90 suspected cases with nine patients testing positive and a single unconfirmed death over the last month-and-a-half.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2014.
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