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Mothers with probable, confirmed Ebola should not breast-feed
The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses recently published recommendations for the management of pregnant women with Ebola.
Patients with Ebola may present with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, abdominal pain with vomiting and diarrhea, and unexplained bleeding or bruising, according to a practice brief from the association, published in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing.
“Nurses should implement processes that facilitate early recognition of women with symptoms of infectious diseases in order to minimize the risk of spreading infections among women and newborns in outpatient and inpatient settings using algorithms to identify, isolate and inform,” the association wrote.
If a patient is suspected of having Ebola, they should be interviewed to identify travel history to areas affected by Ebola. CDC protocol — including immediate isolation and blood testing — should be followed by health care workers if the patient has been to a high-risk Ebola area.
Health care workers who provide direct care to a patient with Ebola should use personal protective equipment including two pairs of gloves, full-body coverage suits, goggles and masks. If possible, health care workers should use disposable equipment for patients with or suspected to have Ebola.
Pregnant women confirmed to have Ebola should receive supportive treatment with IV fluids and electrolytes, maintenance of blood pressure and oxygen status, and treatment of other infections.
“Management decisions should include a multidisciplinary team approach that weighs risks and benefits of all interventions, such as type and frequency of fetal monitoring, induction of labor, and cesarean birth with the health condition of the woman and wishes of the woman and her family,” according to the practice brief.
There is little evidence indicating the transmission of Ebola virus to a newborn via breast-feeding, though the virus has been detected in breast milk.
“Currently, the CDC recommends that mothers with probable or confirmed Ebola do not have close contact with their infants, including to breast-feed, when safe alternatives to breast-feeding are available,” the association wrote.
