Heart-Wrenching Story of a Mother Whose Baby Was Born with Chikungunya: "Sleepless Nights"

Litzaidis Abreu Piña, the mother of little Maylom, shared the harrowing experience of her challenging delivery and the medical hurdles her newborn faced after being born with symptoms indicative of chikungunya.

In an account filled with descriptions of high fever, abrupt onset of contractions, and the newborn’s transfer to specialized care due to respiratory issues, Abreu recounted to the official Matanzas press the ordeal she endured just days ago.

According to her story, she was admitted to the "José Ramón López Tabrane" Gyneco-Obstetric Hospital on a Sunday with a temperature of 101.3°F and a rash on her abdomen. By nightfall, her fever had spiked to 104°F, making it hard to reduce, and around 1 a.m., she began experiencing intense contractions.

As she was taken to the delivery room, it was noted that her baby's heart rate had increased, and upon her water breaking, the medical staff discovered the baby had passed meconium in utero, prompting an emergency C-section.

The mother described her baby as being born with cyanosis (a change in skin color) and struggling to breathe.

Meanwhile, Abreu suffered from pain and swelling—“swollen feet,” fever, and difficulty walking—as she made trips to see her son in the hospital.

Initially, doctors suspected meconium aspiration syndrome. After six days, the baby was extubated and showed signs of improved breathing. However, the same day, he began bleeding, leading the medical team to consider a “possible viral infection.”

The report explains that vertical transmission of chikungunya is considered “nil” during the first two trimesters, but can reach “up to 50%” in the third trimester, particularly during the peripartum period.

Her account details hematological and coagulation disorders, such as low hemoglobin, low platelets, abdominal fluid, inflammation, and “coagulation dysfunction.”

It was noted that the baby developed disseminated intravascular coagulation, described as one of the most severe conditions a child can face, often linked to severe infections and complications “documented in medical literature” for this disease.

The mother shared the agony of those uncertain days—“sleepless,” anxiously waiting for updates—and stated that her son required numerous red blood cell and platelet transfusions, eventually showing favorable progress.

Eventually, the baby experienced a seizure, but after stabilization, the medical team attempted to wean him off ventilation. He spent two days on non-invasive ventilation and was even able to be held “at the breast,” showing signs of improvement.

However, she recounted that after prolonged ventilation, the baby developed significant secretions and once again faced respiratory distress, necessitating another week of ventilation.

Treatments were adjusted—“new medications,” antibiotic changes—and improvement followed: ventilation was removed, he returned to non-invasive ventilation, and began a gradual recovery.

In the final part of her story, the mother noted that her baby transitioned from “critical” to “care” status, with hopes of eventually going home.

Abreu expressed deep gratitude to the medical and nursing staff, attributing her child's recovery to the dedicated efforts of the team working with her newborn.