The pregnant infected with coronavirus have approx 40% higher probability show serious complications in their pregnancies compared to those who are not infected, according to a new US scientific study, which highlights the importance of vaccinating pregnant women against Covid-19. In addition to the complications of pregnancy, it is already known that pregnant women are at risk for more serious symptoms of Covid-19 itself if they become infected with the coronavirus.
The researchers, led by Tory Metz, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Utah and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed data from 14,104 women admitted to 17 US medical centers. Of these, 2,350 were positive for coronavirus during pregnancy.
Over 13% of these appeared complications against 9% those who did not have coronavirus, while all cases of maternal death (five in total) occurred in pregnant women with coronavirus.
Compared with those with mild to no symptoms of Covid-19, pregnant women with moderate to severe symptoms of the infection were three times more likely (26% vs. 9%) to develop serious pregnancy complications, such as eclampsia, severe hypertension, bleeding, renal failure. , organ damage, sepsis, endometritis etc. Pregnant women with moderate to severe Coviid-19 symptoms were even more likely (45% vs. 32%) to give birth by caesarean section, which was not the case for those asymptomatic with coronavirus and those with only mild symptoms.
Coronavirus infection also significantly increased the risk of preterm delivery (27% vs. 14%) and admission to the intensive care unit, as well as miscarriage or stillbirth (3.5% vs. 1.8%). Obese pregnant women (with a body mass index above 30) were at the highest risk if they became infected with coronavirus.
The researchers concluded that the severity of Covid-19 symptoms is a key indicator for predicting an increased risk of complications during pregnancy. “We already know that pregnant women are at greater risk for complications of Covid-19 itself. Our research is one of the first to show that coronavirus infection can increase the risk of serious complications associated with pregnancy complications. “We make sure pregnant women are vaccinated,” said Dr. Metz.
The study also found that only one in 100 babies (1.2%) was diagnosed with coronavirus after birth and until they left the maternity ward.
A second U.S. study, led by Dr. Andrea Edlow of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, published in the same medical journal, found that at six months of age, babies born to mothers fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (with two vaccine mRNA doses) had a much higher rate (57%) of coronavirus IgG antibodies in their blood during pregnancy than those vaccinated (only 8%) who had been infected with the virus while pregnant.
It is not yet clear how high levels of antibodies are needed to protect a baby from Covid-19 infection, and it is also known that antibodies are not the body’s only defense mechanism.
Links to scientific publications:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2788985
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2788986
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