A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study has shown greater incidence of pregnancy-related complications in pregnant women with Covid-19. These complications were in addition to the direct deleterious effects of the virus.

The retrospective multicenter study from 17 US hospitals involving 2352 pregnant women who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The participants delivered between March 1 and December 31 2020, before Covid-19 vaccination was available.

In contrast to asymptomatic women or those with mild Covid, women with moderate to severe Covid-19 were more likely to experience the primary outcome of maternal death or serious morbidity than the uninfected pregnant women; 26.1% vs 9.2%, respectively. The incidence of preterm delivery (26.9 vs 14.1%) or cesarean delivery (45.4 vs 32.4%) was also higher in them. Neonatal deaths also occurred more frequently in women with moderate to severe Covid-19 (3.5 vs 1.8%).

In this study, Covid-19 was associated with maternal morbidity and mortality due to obstetrical complications as well as neonatal mortality. This study reiterates the need for vaccinating reproductive age women as well as pregnant women with Covid-19 vaccine to prevent the adverse impact of the infection on the mother and child. Adherence to Covid-appropriate behavior is imperative for this population group.

Reference

1. Metz TD, et al. Association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with serious maternal morbidity and mortality from obstetric complications. .JAMA. 2022 Feb 7. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.1190.