The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on pregnant women and their infants, suggests a global review of studies.

According to the review, stillbirths and maternal deaths seem to have increased by nearly one-third, as per pooled data from 40 studies across 17 countries. Additionally, there has been a six-fold surge in ectopic pregnancies from January 2020 through January 2021. The number of women reporting symptoms of depression had also increased, and the rates of maternal anxiety were also found to be high. Researchers from St. Georges University of London figured that several of these problems may be associated with a lack of access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings have been published in the Lancet… (CNN, April 1, 2021)