Pregnant women with COVID-19 at high risk of emergency childbirth

Researchers conducted a retrospective review of pregnant people defined in the study as women aged 16 to 45 years who were coronavirus-positive and had a baby between March and September 2020. bottom.

The study included 101 participants, 31 of whom had symptomatic infections.

Of that group, 42% had a fever, 39% had a cough, about a quarter had shortness of breath, about 20% had myalgia or chills, and about 10% had chest pain.

“We now know that pregnant women are susceptible to COVID-19 and the course of the disease is likely to be severe.” Dr. Elan Bornstein, Vice Chairman of Obstetrics at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, told Healthline.

“Therefore, most young women have a mild or no illness, but pregnant women are definitely at increased risk of getting a serious illness. They are more likely to die and are in the intensive care unit. You are more likely to be hospitalized, “he said.

The findings also showed that nearly 60 percent of participants in the sexually transmitted disease study gave birth in an emergency.

By comparison, less than half of participants with asymptomatic infections had complications during labor.

Participants with symptomatic infections were more likely to have emergency complications, including:

• Breech baby
• Decreased fetal movement
• Amniotic fluid reduction

Infants born to study COVID-19 symptomatic participants were more likely to require respiratory assistance or be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Babies in this group tested positive for COVID-19 after childbirth, increasing the likelihood of parent-to-child transmission.

“I have seen pregnant women who are seriously ill and sometimes require intubation and mechanical ventilation,” he said. Dr. Adi Davidoff, Vice-Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Staten Island University Hospital, New York. “All these women have poor fetal and maternal outcomes.”

The risk of cesarean delivery increased dramatically, regardless of whether the participants were symptomatic.

Researchers have observed a nearly 65% ​​increase in cesarean delivery rates in participants with symptomatic infections and a 62% increase in participants with asymptomatic infections.

“”[COVID-19 is] It’s related to preterm birth, “Bornstein said. It is not yet clear whether preterm birth is a result of the health of the giving birth parent or was inadvertently caused by COVID-19 treatment, he added.

He said preterm birth with COVID-19 could increase fetal complications.

Bornstein warned that if a pregnant person is infected with severe COVID-19, their hypoxic levels can have fatal consequences for the baby.

For example, if the birth must take place in 24 weeks to protect the health of the giving birth parent and baby, “you have a premature baby who cannot survive or may survive with serious complications. I’m giving birth, “Bournestein said.

Davidoff said it is important for pregnant people to take precautions against COVID-19. This includes vaccination, physical distance exercises, and wearing a mask.

“We must be socially distant and continue to wear masks,” he advised. “The most important thing is that everyone has to be vaccinated, especially pregnant mothers and women planning to get pregnant.”

He warned that “a lot of false information was disseminated through various retailers,” which caused many people to fear the COVID-19 vaccine.

“It is now very clear that the vaccine is safe and provides the best protection against COVID-19 for both mothers and newborns,” said Davidov.

“Women who have not yet been vaccinated are advised to be vaccinated. This is against the more infectious Delta variant, and perhaps other potential future developments. Also useful for variants. “

Bornstein said he is still investigating whether pre-pregnancy or pre-pregnancy vaccinations can protect babies.

“There are reports showing that we can transmit what we call passive immunity,” he said. “For example, the mother is vaccinated and the body already has antibodies that can cross the placenta.”

According to a new study, infection with COVID-19 during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of complications that can be serious during childbirth.

Experts say maintaining physical distance, masking, and most importantly, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the best way to protect yourself during pregnancy.

They also say that vaccination is likely to provide protection for the baby against COVID-19.