Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding in an Ebola outbreak face similar challenges as other population groups, but they have specific health needs which must be met.
As the second largest Ebola outbreak in history continues in the Democratic Republic of Congo, WHO has released new clinical guidelines for healthcare providers supporting pregnant or breastfeeding women in the context of Ebola virus disease.
Improving clinical care and reducing mortality
Clear and coherent guidance is needed to meet the combined needs of women requiring Ebola treatment, pregnancy care and management of complications.
Information on how to protect breastfeeding children and other members in the community from transmission of the disease is also critical.
Limited scientific evidence on how to best manage these needs has previously been a challenge for affected countries. In addition, misconceptions that pregnant women have a higher mortality rate than other populations with Ebola may in some contexts have put pregnant women at risk of not receiving standard care.
WHO’s Guideline on the management of pregnant and breastfeeding women in the context of Ebola virus reviews existing evidence and provides a single set of recommendations on the care continuum for women exposed to, diagnosed with, or recovered from Ebola.
This will enable healthcare providers, emergency response teams and health policy-makers to improve prevention and treatment measures in an Ebola outbreak.
Obstetric care at an Ebola Treatment Centre
Optimal supportive care should be offered to all pregnant women with Ebola. Likewise, they should be offered experimental treatment and vaccination under the same conditions as non-pregnant populations.
Ebola virus disease does increase the risk of miscarriage and early labour, requiring close clinical management at Ebola treatment centres. It is important to engage both obstetric providers and those trained in Ebola response.
This dual expertise is also important because early Ebola and pregnancy-related symptoms can overlap. Pregnant women should be prioritised for testing to confirm an Ebola infection.
Ebola virus can persist in pregnancy related fluids as well as breastmilk. If healthcare providers are not clear on how to manage Ebola infection risk, they may be less willing to provide care. This stigma can be life-threatening for women who experience complications during delivery.
The new WHO guidelines advise healthcare workers on how to protect themselves while caring for pregnant women with Ebola virus disease. This includes induced labour or surgical procedures, which carry greater risk of transmission in cases of acute infection. Any invasive treatments should be carried out in full personal protective equipment.
Breastfeeding recommendations in an Ebola outbreak
WHO recommends that women with suspected or confirmed Ebola immediately stop breastfeeding and are prioritised for diagnostic testing. Any child exposed to Ebola through breast milk should be placed into safe care, closely monitored for symptoms over a 21-day period and fed with an appropriate breast milk substitute.
The guidelines strongly recommend that breastfeeding is only restarted following two consecutive negative tests of breast milk, separated by 24 hours.
A breast milk substitute should be used even if infection is confirmed for both the mother and her child. Exceptions can be made for infants under 6 months of age who are already infected, if breast milk substitutes are not feasible, affordable, sustainable or safe and separation cannot be implemented safely.
Women’s health and rights in a disease outbreak
A disease outbreak does not change women’s and adolescent girls’ fundamental human right to sexual and reproductive healthcare, including evidence-based care during pregnancy and childbirth.
Women need support to make informed reproductive health care choices for themselves and their children. Women living in an Ebola outbreak should have access to all relevant reproductive options, regardless of economic, cultural, racial or religious status, including contraception and safe abortion to the full extent of the law.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women across affected communities need equitable and respectful care that considers the risks they face and supports the choices they make.
Accessing the guidelines and further research
These guidelines are now available online and may be freely downloaded. The executive summary will be available in French.
WHO will closely monitor new data as it emerges, as there is still a pressing need to prioritise ongoing research related to Ebola virus transmission.
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https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/10-02-2020-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding-during-an-ebola-virus-outbreak