COVID-19 tales: ‘Once in ward, I would forget I was pregnant’

Dr Trupti Gilada was four months pregnant, when she along with other doctors, took charge of the COVID-19 care centre at Masina Hospital. Pic/Ashish Raje

First Pregnant Doctor To Treat Covid Patients

Dr Trupti Gilada, 35, Mumbai
Physician, Infectious Disease and Adult Medicine, Masina Hospital

I was four months pregnant, when the pandemic broke out in Mumbai. As medical professionals, we were in the thick of things. The cases were rising steadily, and by March, India had already surpassed 500. Masina Hospital was among the first few to start a COVID-19 care centre for patients. At the time, Dr Vispi Jokhi, CEO of the hospital, gave me a call, saying, "I understand you are pregnant, but we really need you in our caregiving team [right now]." He asked me to take some time, and think over it. The thought running through my head was that this job was just as important as my child. So I said, "yes". As doctors, we do tend to set emotions aside, when responding to the call of duty.

Yes, I was walking on a tight rope. There was no data yet on how COVID-19 affects pregnant women and their unborn children. I was apprehensive, and so was my family, but my husband is a doctor, and he knew where I was coming from. They were incredibly supportive.

The centre started out with 10 patients, and at the beginning it seemed manageable. But within a few days, the numbers swelled, and we were seeing about 80 to 90 patients daily. Those were tough days. I pray that we never have to relive them again. It was like experiencing victory and defeat at the same time. Some patients would go back home, while there were others, whose condition would worsen.

I would clock-in nearly six hours daily at the ward. Because, I had to wear my PPE kit all through, I would stuff myself with food and gulp down enough water beforehand so I didn't have to ‘undress' to eat. I would keep checking if the PPE kit was covering every part of my body. There were two reasons for this - one, I was worried about falling ill and not knowing what would happen to my baby, and second, was the fear of taking the infection back home. I didn't want the elderly in my family to suffer. But once I was in the ward, I'd forget that I was pregnant. I think it's a sentiment that most doctors will share. You get lost in your job. Over the next few months, as more and more patients started recovering, I got over the anxiety.

I only began reducing my visits to the ward, sometime during my seven month [June end], when I started feeling dehydrated, because of being inside the PPE kit for long hours. Experiencing a near black-out one day, forced me to take a step back. I realised I needed some time off, before I went into labour. I, however, continued seeing patients at the OPD ward till the last week, before my delivery [on August 15].

After my maternity leave, I resumed work in December, and now, I am back in the COVID ward. Touchwood, things seem to be a lot better than last year. Though we are experiencing a spike in cases again, I am confident that we will be able to manage it.

It was the life inside me that kept me going. Thinking about my baby, brought a smile to my face. It's the reason I have named her Muskaan. That whole journey of being a COVID-19 victim, to fighter and survivor, doesn't only apply to patients; it rings true for us [doctors and frontline health workers], as well.