Ohio Nurse Undergoing Treatment After Testing Positive For Coronavirus Gives Birth In Sedation

An Ohio nurse, who is in a critical condition undergoing treatment at a hospital after she tested positive for the novel coronavirus, gave birth to a baby boy last week under sedation.

The woman, identified as 27-year-old Megan Sites, worked as a nurse at a local hospital. She was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago after she noticed the primary symptoms of COVID-19 which according to her began with a fever, aches, and pains.

“She started with a cold and fever and within 24-hours of talking to her, it got so much worse," her brother Shaun Jefferies told local media.

Sites’ condition continued to get worse and she had to be put on a ventilator.

“Her lungs were pretty much failing and at the same time they had to get the baby out in order to save her and the baby,” Kacie Jefferies, Sites’ sister-in-law told local media.

Sites underwent an emergency C-section surgery.

“In all honesty, we didn’t think she was going to make it on Thursday," she said.

But Sites was stronger than they thought, defying all odds, at her 29th week of pregnancy, she gave birth to a boy under sedation. And as of Tuesday, she remained unaware of giving birth. The doctors had to wait for at least 24 hours before they could test the premature baby for COVID-19.

“They tested, they had to wait until he was 24-hours old, to test him and they tested him yesterday,” Mrs. Jefferies said.

After the delivery, Sites was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for extensive care. On Saturday, the family reported that her condition is improving.

Adding relief to the situation, the baby tested negative for coronavirus and has been shifted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the same hospital as his mother. The boy hasn’t been given a name yet.

“She has been on the ECMO machine since Thursday and every day she gets better. The doctors say she is headed in the right direction. He is optimistic she’ll pull through,” Mrs. Jefferies said.

The ECMO machine is a device that helps pump and oxygenate the blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest.

“Never in a million years would we have thought our 27-year-old sister would be infected with this virus and almost lose her life. People have got to take this seriously, She is fighting the biggest fight and we have to be strong for her," Mrs. Jefferies added.

Her family had a message for the people who are taking the pandemic lightly and failing to adhere to the social distancing practice.

“She was a nurse, she is essential, she had to go to work. So we need to stay home for the nurses and doctors and the people who are essential,” Mrs. Jefferies concluded.