A Clinical Multi-center Study of Pregnant Women with COVID-19 in Hubei, China

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread to more than 200 countries. Thus far, reports regarding multi-center data from throughout gestation in women with COVID-19 and newborn outcomes are scarce.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 92 pregnant women with COVID-19 (PW-COVID-19) and their 78 newborns from 27 hospitals in 12 regions of Hubei, China. The demographic, epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and therapeutic data and pregnancy, perinatal, and neonatal outcomes were analyzed. Follow-up was censored until April 7, 2020.Findings: Median maternal age was 31.0 years (IQR 28·0-33·0), with nine patients in the first trimester, five in the second trimester, and 78 in the third trimester. None of the patients died, and most (92·4%) recovered and were discharged. Seventy-five deliveries (including three sets of twins) comprised 66 cesarean sections and nine vaginal deliveries, with 21 preterm and 57 full-term infants. Seventeen live births had radiological findings of pulmonary infection. One newborn tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid, and three newborns were viral antibody-positive: two IgG (+) and IgM (-), and one IgG (+) and IgM (+). The median suspected duration of virus exposure was 7 days (IQR 0 to 27).Interpretation: Compared to the pregnant women with other viral infections, such as SARS, MERS, and Zika virus infection, PW-COVID-19 had similar manifestations and relatively better outcomes. The termination time and delivery mode in PW-COVID-19 should be evaluated based on both the maternal and fetal situations. The possibility of maternal-to-fetal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 requires further investigation.Authors Shujie Liao and Renjie Wang contributed equally to this work.