Effect of COVID-19 Infection on Obstertric Complications and Maternal Outcomes

Effect of COVID-19 Infection on Obstertric Complications and Maternal Outcomes

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 infection on obstetric complications and maternal outcomes.

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, pregnant women were reported to have a higher susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. Pregnant women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 are at higher risk of a severe form of COVID-19, associated with higher rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and increased needs for respiratory support, compared to the age-matched non-pregnant population.

Women infected during pregnancy also have an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm-birth, with a significant proportion secondary to iatrogenic preterm birth due to maternal illness. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy has also been reported to be associated with a higher risk of stillbirth directly or indirectly caused by the virus.

Infected pregnant patients tended to present asymptomatically with pre-Delta and Omicron variants, and symptomatically with Delta variant. A previous systematic review suggested that people who are pregnant did not have an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or symptomatic COVID-19, but they were at risk of severe COVID-19 compared with those who were not pregnant.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age from 18 to 40 years.
• Pregnant women with COVID-19 infection diagnosed either by PCR or rapid test.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients vaccinated for COVID-19 before or during the current pregnancy.