Evaluation of Neonatal and Maternal Outcomes in Pregnant Women with COVID-19 in Southern Iran: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: Pregnant women and their fetuses are considered high-risk populations during pandemics, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objectives: This study aims to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes among pregnant women infected with COVID-19. Methods: This descriptive, analytical, retrospective case-control study included COVID-19-infected pregnant women referred to hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in southern Iran from March 2021 to March 2022. Data were collected using a pre-designed checklist covering demographic information and maternal and neonatal outcomes. Analyses were performed using SPSS version 25, with the significance level set at P < 0.05. Results: Significant differences were observed in maternal and neonatal outcomes for variables such as vaginal bleeding, fetal distress, premature birth, intrauterine death, ICU admission, low birth weight, and NICU admission (P < 0.05). Although neonatal transient tachypnea and pneumonia were more than twice as common in infants of COVID-19-infected mothers compared to controls, these findings were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Similarly, abnormal lung X-rays, thrombocytopenia, and positive CRP were slightly more frequent in infants born to COVID-19-infected mothers, but these differences did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The study highlights the increased risks of adverse short-term and long-term maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with COVID-19 during pregnancy. Prioritizing pregnancy-specific interventions is crucial in pandemic management to mitigate these risks and improve outcomes for both mothers and their infants.