New research finds severity of COVID-19 determines likelihood of pregnancy complications



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Washington, DC – Pregnant women who contract SARS-CoV-2, the strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, are at greater risk of dying and experiencing serious complications than non-pregnant women who contract the disease, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Now, in a new study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting ™, researchers will unveil results suggesting that pregnant women who become seriously or seriously ill in due to COVID-19 are at greater risk of dying and experiencing serious pregnancy complications compared to pregnant women with COVID-19 but asymptomatic or without symptoms. In contrast, pregnant women with mild or moderate illness did not have a higher risk of pregnancy complications than those without symptoms. The study was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

The study looked at the medical records of 1,219 pregnant women from 33 hospitals in 14 states from March 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020. All patients tested positive for COVID-19; 47 percent were asymptomatic, 27 percent were mild, 14 percent were moderate, 8 percent were severe, and 4 percent were critical.

The results showed that pregnant women who became seriously or seriously ill from COVID-19 were older, had a higher body mass index, and were more likely to have underlying medical conditions, such as asthma / chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, and high blood pressure. These women were more likely to die or have serious complications, such as a cesarean section; heavy bleeding after childbirth, known as postpartum hemorrhage; high blood pressure during pregnancy; and premature birth. High blood pressure and preterm delivery can also cause long-term health problems in women or their infants.

A total of four women (0.3%) died from COVID-19, a figure higher than the death rate of pregnant women without COVID-19. The death rate for pregnant women without COVID-19 is 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to the latest CDC data.

“Our research shows that serious pregnancy complications appear to occur in women who have severe or critical cases of COVID and not in those with mild or moderate cases,” said lead author of the study Torri. D. Metz, MD, MS, a mother. subspecialist in fetal medicine and associate professor at the University of Utah Health.

“This information helps us counsel our patients more effectively. For pregnant women who have contracted a mild to moderate case of COVID-19, these findings may help alleviate their fears of being at increased risk of serious pregnancy complications from the disease. “

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About SMFM

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. With more than 5,000 physicians, scientists and women’s health professionals around the world, the Society supports the clinical practice of maternal-fetal medicine by providing education, promoting research and engaging in advocacy activities. to optimize the health of high-risk pregnant women and their babies. SMFM holds an annual scientific meeting where new ideas and research related to high risk pregnancies are unveiled and discussed. For more information, visit SMFM.org and connect with the organization on Facebook and Twitter. For the latest news and updates from the 2021 Annual Meeting, follow the hashtag # smfm21.

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