How it feels to be pregnant in Dubai during a pandemic


Georgia Tolley
  • English
  • Arabic

Expectant mothers in Dubai discuss their concerns about being pregnant during a pandemic.

As new coronavirus cases continue to hover around 3,000 a day, they are worried about their health and the well-being of their unborn babies.

One study published in the British Medical Journal in September indicated that pregnant women who contracted Covid-19 were more likely to need admission to an intensive care unit and need ventilation, compared with non-pregnant women of similar age.

Women cannot be vaccinated while pregnant or breastfeeding, in accordance with UAE regulations, leaving many feeling particularly vulnerable as the authorities battle to contain the virus.

I feel like a sitting duck because I can't have the vaccine, and when you're pregnant you have a suppressed immune system.

Faye Goss is six months pregnant with her third child and said her concerns have increased as case numbers surged in the UAE.

“I have two young children in school, and that feels like a high-risk environment at the moment.

“I feel like a sitting duck because I can’t have the vaccine, and when you're pregnant you have a suppressed immune system. If I were to catch it, I would worry about what medication I could take.”

The odds of giving birth prematurely are also higher in women suffering from or who have recently been infected with coronavirus.

Moreover, expectant mothers and postpartum mothers who are older, overweight, and have pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes appear to have an increased risk of developing severe Covid-19, according to the World Health Organisation.

Doctor's orders

Medical experts in the UAE warn pregnant women to take all the normal precautions to protect themselves against coronavirus, and report possible symptoms – including fever, cough or difficulty in breathing – to their healthcare provider.

Rachel Dowes, 38, tested positive for Covid-19 when she was three months pregnant, but remained asymptomatic throughout her quarantine.

The qualified hypnotherapist works in women's wellness, and stopped seeing clients face to face because she was worried about catching the virus.

After the diagnosis, her obstetrician was reassuring.

"She said it's more risky later on because there's a risk of preterm labour," Ms Dowes said.

"To get it in the first couple of trimesters is actually a good thing, because you'll build up immunity, and hopefully the baby will also have immunity."

Ms Goss also sought advice from her obstetrician about her Covid concerns.

“She advised a high degree of caution, but equally she said I should try to have a normal life as much as possible, because one's mental health is also important while pregnant," she said.

“The evidence seems to suggest that the baby shouldn't suffer, even if the pregnant mother is really unwell with Covid-19, but given the uncertainty of how different individuals respond to the virus, I am worried."

Post-natal depression in a pandemic

Julie Mallon, a midwife and certified sleep consultant at Babies and Beyond in Dubai, has noted an alarming rise in depression among new mothers since the start of the pandemic. Courtesy: Julie Mallon
Julie Mallon, a midwife and certified sleep consultant at Babies and Beyond in Dubai, has noted an alarming rise in depression among new mothers since the start of the pandemic. Courtesy: Julie Mallon

Experts fear the worry of being pregnant and catching Covid-19 could lead to mental health problems. Julie Mallon, a British midwife and certified sleep consultant at Babies and Beyond in Dubai, which provides services to parents, noted an alarming rise in depression among new mothers since the start of the pandemic.

"They are much more anxious and scared during pregnancy. My concern is whether this will affect how mothers bond with their babies.

"A big problem is social isolation, where women don’t feel they can get the support they need because they need to keep safe and isolate.

"There is also a shame and stigma felt by mothers who have caught Covid-19, or whose babies have got unwell. They feel guilty, and that affects their mental health."

Laura-Ann Yuille, who is nine months pregnant, is only just starting to feel concerned.

“I’m almost glad that I’ve been pregnant during the pandemic, I’ve felt safe enough in the UAE to go to restaurants and to keep going to the gym," she said.

“But now the baby is due, I’ve just started to worry about protecting him.”

Pregnancy and the Covid-19 vaccine

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 1 FEBRUARY 2021. Aysha Awwad, in her residence. Photo: Reem Mohammed / The National Reporter:
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 1 FEBRUARY 2021. Aysha Awwad, in her residence. Photo: Reem Mohammed / The National Reporter:

Nursing mothers, pregnant women and children are not allowed to receive any of the vaccines available in the UAE, but Aysha Awwad, 40, who is four months pregnant with her first child, said she would take the jab “without hesitation” if it was allowed.

A first-time mother from the UK, Ms Awwad is worried about giving birth and protecting her newborn.

“I feel like going into hospital, and then coming out of hospital – our movements will be restricted, because there's still going to be the risk of contracting Covid-19," she said.

“It's a bit daunting, and it's only starting to dawn on me now, that because of the travel restrictions, maybe my mum won't be able to be there for the birth. I think that's probably the most daunting aspect, but I still don't regret being pregnant now.”

It is still not known if a pregnant woman with Covid-19 can pass the virus to her foetus or baby during pregnancy or delivery. To date, the World Health Organisation reports that the active virus has not been found in samples of fluid around the baby in the womb or breastmilk.

Ms Yuille, 40 is due to give birth to her second child in the next few days.

“I’ll be a lot more careful about who I let visit, and I’ll be strict about who I see," she said.

"I have heard of really little babies getting Covid, and we just don’t know about the long-term impact on their respiratory system.

“I can’t get the vaccine yet, but when I stop breastfeeding I will. But you can’t live your life constantly worrying, I need to crack on.”

Ms Goss also wishes she could take a coronavirus vaccine.

“I did think as soon as I've given birth I can have the jab straight away," she said.

"But I understand that there's not a lot of data and evidence around how the vaccine would affect mothers who want to breastfeed.

“I don't really know how vulnerable a baby is to coronavirus. I think there's quite limited data. So there's a lot of uncertainty right through the pregnancy, the birth, and for a few months thereafter, if you wish to be feeding your child.”

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.

The Porpoise

By Mark Haddon 

(Penguin Random House)
 

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'O'
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THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying

Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:

1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi

“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ENGLAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope 
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold 
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph 
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
ABU DHABI TRIATHLON

For more information, and to enter the race, please visit www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20has%20been%20moored%20off%20the%20Yemeni%20coast%20of%20Ras%20Issa%20since%201988.%3Cbr%3EThe%20Houthis%20have%20been%20blockading%20UN%20efforts%20to%20inspect%20and%20maintain%20the%20vessel%20since%202015%2C%20when%20the%20war%20between%20the%20group%20and%20the%20Yemen%20government%2C%20backed%20by%20the%20Saudi-led%20coalition%20began.%3Cbr%3ESince%20then%2C%20a%20handful%20of%20people%20acting%20as%20a%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ae%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D%26ved%3D2ahUKEwiw2OfUuKr4AhVBuKQKHTTzB7cQFnoECB4QAQ%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thenationalnews.com%252Fworld%252Fmena%252Fyemen-s-floating-bomb-tanker-millions-kept-safe-by-skeleton-crew-1.1104713%26usg%3DAOvVaw0t9FPiRsx7zK7aEYgc65Ad%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3Eskeleton%20crew%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20have%20performed%20rudimentary%20maintenance%20work%20to%20keep%20the%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20intact.%3Cbr%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20is%20connected%20to%20a%20pipeline%20from%20the%20oil-rich%20city%20of%20Marib%2C%20and%20was%20once%20a%20hub%20for%20the%20storage%20and%20export%20of%20crude%20oil.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%E2%80%99s%20environmental%20and%20humanitarian%20impact%20may%20extend%20well%20beyond%20Yemen%2C%20experts%20believe%2C%20into%20the%20surrounding%20waters%20of%20Saudi%20Arabia%2C%20Djibouti%20and%20Eritrea%2C%20impacting%20marine-life%20and%20vital%20infrastructure%20like%20desalination%20plans%20and%20fishing%20ports.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
Getting there

The flights

Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.

The stay

Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.

Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPyppl%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEstablished%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAntti%20Arponen%20and%20Phil%20Reynolds%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20financial%20services%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2418.5%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmployees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20150%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20series%20A%2C%20closed%20in%202021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20venture%20capital%20companies%2C%20international%20funds%2C%20family%20offices%2C%20high-net-worth%20individuals%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)