Covid-19 Infection, Pregnancy Outcomes and Maternal & Neonatal Complications

Abstract

Background: Covid-19 infection potentially affects pregnancy, its outcomes and may lead to maternal and neonatal complications. Objective: To investigate and compare the pregnancy outcomes and feto-maternal complications among covid-19 infected and non-infected women. Study Design: Prospective study. Setting: Shaikh Zaid Women Hospital, Shaheed Mohatarma Benazeer Bhutto Medical University, Larkana. Duration: From August 2021 to February 2022. Material and Methods: A sample of 204 pregnant women of age 18-50 years was taken and sorted as either having covid-19 (n= 90) or without covid-19 (n= 114). They presented in 3rd trimester with single fetus. Exclusion criteria were having haemoglobinopathy, malpresentation, placental abruption or other pregnancy risks. The rt-PCR used to test infection status. Data collected through a pre-designed questionnaire and analyzed through SPSS Version-25. Results: The maternal age ranged between 28 to 39 years with a mean ± SD age of 30.3 ± 6.66 which did not differ in two groups. Lower gestational age was of the covid-19 infection group i-e; 34.75 ± 1.54 weeks then covid-19 negative (37.01 ± 2.14 weeks; p value < 0.001). Most common covid-19 symptoms were fever at admission (79%) dry persistent cough (51%), malaise (21%) and dyspnea (22%). More caesarean sections (52.22%; n = 47) in covid-19 +ve group noted than covid-19 negative (34.21%; n = 39). PIH, preeclampsia/ eclampsia, preterm labor, infections which needed antibiotics therapy and referral for higher dependency care (p values = 0.059, 0.003, 0.893, 0.179 and 0.002 respectively) and preterm birth, LBW, SGA, fetal distress, admission for neonatal rususciation/ ICU and fetal death (p values = 0.433, 0.136, 0.877, 0.79 0.436 and 0.428 respectively) were more frequent among covid-19 positive group. Conclusion: Pregnancy with convid-19 face relatively more unwanted outcomes, maternal and neonatal complications compared to the covid-19 negatives. Antenatal and full range of obstetric and medical care of such cases is highly recommended to achieve better outcomes. Keywords: Pregnancy, Covid-19, feto-maternal outcomes, preterm birth, caesarean section.

Incidence of Fetal Arrhythmia Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single-Center Experience

“…Since COVID-19 was declared a worldwide pandemic in March of 2020, several studies have shown evidence of cardiovascular involvement after SARS-CoV-2 infection, including arrhythmia (4)). Similarly, studies looking at COVID-19 in pregnant women have shown a higher risk of morbidity and mortality such as higher rates of delivery by c-sections, preeclampsia and pregnancy induced hypertension, preterm labor and preterm birth, fetal distress, and need for neonatal intensive care unit admission (5). Some initial data has shown that there is an increased risk of fetal arrhythmia in pregnancies during the COVID-19 era, although exact mechanism has not been elucidated at this point (6).…”