No abstract

No abstract

Managing women who are pregnant with severe COVID-19 is complex. This paper focuses on the debate surrounding steroid use in this group. Unfortunately, despite international efforts to identify treatments for COVID-19, there is very little research which has focussed specifically on pregnant women. Therefore current guidance is based on consensus and expert opinion, with variation in these guidelines worldwide, and reports that 73% of pregnant women do not receive steroids at all. There is an assumption of a steroid class-effect implicit within the UK guidelines for the mother with COVID-19 which is at odds with established within-class differences for effects on the foetus. This now warrants further discussion given the increasing numbers of pregnant women being admitted to hospital with COVID-19.

Managing women who are pregnant with severe COVID-19 is complex. This paper focuses on the debate surrounding steroid use in this group. Unfortunately, despite international efforts to identify treatments for COVID-19, there is very little research which has focussed specifically on pregnant women. Therefore current guidance is based on consensus and expert opinion, with variation in these guidelines worldwide, and reports that 73% of pregnant women do not receive steroids at all. There is an assumption of a steroid class-effect implicit within the UK guidelines for the mother with COVID-19 which is at odds with established within-class differences for effects on the foetus. This now warrants further discussion given the increasing numbers of pregnant women being admitted to hospital with COVID-19.