APOs Associated With Respiratory Viral Infections Before and During Early Pregnancy

An Observational Study on the Risk of Adverse Maternal and Infant Outcomes Associated With Respiratory Viral Infections Before and During Early Pregnancy

Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are a collection of conditions that have short-term and long-term effects of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth on pregnant women and their fetuses, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, large for gestational age, among others. Nearly 30% of all women experience an adverse pregnancy outcome during their reproductive years. Although, respiratory viral infections with epidemic and pandemic potential pose an omnipresent threat to public health, research focusing specifically on the maternal-infant population remains relatively scarce.

Studies conducted in USA found that among pregnant women infected with influenza, the proportion of those with gestational hypertension or diabetes was higher than in pregnant women without influenza infection (13.9% vs. 11.1%).

Research on the impact of respiratory viral infections on perinatal outcomes in China is limited, and we aim to establish of a large-scale, retroprospective maternal-child cohorts. This cohort study will systematically collect longitudinal data (e.g., detailed clinical history, timing of infection/vaccination, complication of pregnancy, and APOs) to assess the risk of respiratory viral infections to APOs, as well as facilitate multidisciplinary research.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female;
• Age 20 to 45 years old;
• Physician-diagnosed acute respiratory viral infection occurring within 6 months before pregnancy and/or at <24 weeks of gestation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregestational T1D or T2D;
• Long-term use of immunosuppressants or glucocorticoids;
• Diseases that severely affect immune or metabolic function (e.g., HIV, SLE, rheumatoid arthritis);
• Severe mental illness or cognitive impairment;
• Women whose electronic medical records lack GDM screening and delivery records.