Health Department Warns Pregnant Women “Don’t Take Favipiravir”

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Krajangwit Johjit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Department of Health has advised pregnant women who have Covid-19 not to take the antiviral medicine “Favipiravir,” saying that the drug may harm fetuses, especially during the first trimester.

 

According to experts, the medicine is normally only administered on a case-by-case basis during the last quarter of pregnancy.

 

The health agency advised pregnant women, who are asymptomatic, experience moderate symptoms, and are not at high risk of miscarriage, to stay home. It also suggested that they refrain from taking part in any activity with other family members, and use separate restrooms.

 

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According to the department, 70-80 percent of infected pregnant women exhibit minor or no symptoms, and only 10% to 20% experience severe symptoms. Expectant women, who experience difficulty breathing, exhaustion, a high temperature, as well as frequent coughing, or chest pain, are urged to immediately seek medical attention or call the 1330 hotline.

 

The health department asked that mothers with Covid-19 remain cautious when feeding their children to prevent an infection from taking place. Women in this group should always wear masks, wash hands before and after handling their children, and clean frequently touched surfaces around the house.

 

The agency went on to suggest that Covid positive women seek help from non-infected relatives to help care for their newborns and to feed them using a bottle.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-11

 

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[Geoffggi]

Is this not a little late in bringing to peoples attention, I'm sure some will be quite upset at hearing this news.

[internationalism]

this is prescription medicine, strictly controlled through hospitals.

Not, that pregnant can buy it or get it anywhere else.

It's not possible for mother to stop interacting with newborn or just switch at whim from breastfeeding to bottle. It's a gradual process replacing food.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, internationalism said:

this is prescription medicine, strictly controlled through hospitals.

Not, that pregnant can buy it or get it anywhere else.

It's not possible for mother to stop interacting with newborn or just switch at whim from breastfeeding to bottle. It's a gradual process replacing food.

Favipiravir It's not really strictly controlled.

 

The government were handing it out to those who called the hotline and received ‘care packages’.

Wife received a box of 32 Favipiravir tablets / In Laws each received a bottle of 50.

Wife was not asked if she was pregnant etc.. just asked about her symptoms. 

 

Now there is a reported shortage. If the jungle drums are correct there is a blackmarket of people selling on their medication.

 

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Regarding mothers feeding their children.

 

It was not mentioned to switch from mothers milk to formula - just that relatives assist. 

i.e. Mother can express into ’storage’ and come feeding time relatives feed with breast milk from a bottle - this gives the mother a rest, thats what was meant in the article. 

 

Some babies are fussy, some are not.

With our son we mixed and matched - Breast feeding / Breast Milk from Bottle / Formula from bottle.