The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is associated with worse maternal outcomes in pregnant women

COVID-19 during the first six months of pregnancy can increase maternal morbidity and risk of severe complications in symptomatic, unvaccinated women, specifically with Omicron variants. It turns out. published papers of lancet.

“Universal vaccination during pregnancy is important because it is very difficult to predict who will develop severe symptoms and complications, except for overweight or obese women,” said the study. The author writes

A team of researchers from the UK, US, Pakistan, Argentina, and other countries will enroll 4,618 people in a prospective observational study to understand the maternal and perinatal outcomes of COVID-19 during pregnancy and vaccine efficacy. registered pregnant women. against the Omicron variant.

The women were recruited from 41 hospitals in 18 countries, the study authors explained. The hospitals are part of a “global network of research institutions that provide routine care to thousands of women and newborns each year,” they noted. They also noted that these hospitals were not selected to be representative of the underlying population, but rather so that researchers could enroll the maximum number of diagnosed and undiagnosed women in the shortest timeframe possible. I acknowledge that I was selected to be

The study authors matched each woman with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 to two unmatched women who had not been diagnosed with COVID-19. These females were registered the day after the World Health Organization declared her to be a subspecies of concern on November 27, 2021 and she on June 30, 2022. they said They were included in the follow-up data up to the time of hospital discharge.

One-third of the women enrolled (1,545 women) had a COVID-19 diagnosis from week 36.7, while the remaining two-thirds had no COVID-19 diagnosis, said the study authors. Despite similar demographic characteristics, the study authors found that two groups (8% of participants diagnosed with COVID-19 and 6% of otherwise healthy participants), overweight or obese, We noted that people (49% vs 47%) were smokers. , and those with slightly less pre-existing morbidity (18% vs. 20%).

The study authors found that women diagnosed with COVID-19 had higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality (MMMI) and severe perinatal morbidity and We judged the risk of mortality (SPMMI) to be high. Additionally, this group had an increased risk of severe neonatal morbidity index (SNMI), but it was low, the researchers reported.

Examining the impact of vaccination, the authors of the study observed that unvaccinated women diagnosed with COVID-19 were at increased risk of MMMI. Additionally, severe cases of COVID-19 symptoms in unvaccinated women increased the risk of severe maternal complications, perinatal complications, referral, ICU admission, or death, study authors found. has discovered.

The majority of participants (63%) received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and about half (54%) received a full or booster dose of the vaccine, study authors said. The study authors found that vaccine efficacy (that is, all vaccines combined) against severe complications from COVID-19 was 48% in all women We later determined that it was 76%. Additionally, for women diagnosed with COVID-19, the participant who used the full regimen combining all vaccines had 74% of her vaccine efficacy, and after a booster dose she reached 91%. , said the study authors.

“COVID-19 during pregnancy poses a risk of severe maternal morbidity and mortality during the first six months of Omicron as a variant of concern, especially among symptomatic and unvaccinated women. “Women who received the full or booster vaccine had a reduced risk of serious illness, complications, and death. Vaccines in Pregnant Women” Vaccination coverage remains a priority.”