Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Pregnancies Positive for SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

Background: In December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic began in Wuhan, China with the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Based on evidence, pregnant women are more vulnerable to respiratory infections due to physiological changes in their bodies. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes for mothers and newborns in the Sistan and Baluchestan province who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Methods: The current retrospective study assessed 100 SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnant women and 50 healthy controls from hospitals affiliated with Zahedan University of Medical Sciences during 2019 - 2020. The data included demographic, clinical, and neonatal details, which were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS software version 25. Results: Our findings revealed that preterm birth occurred in 37% of pregnancies with COVID-19, and other complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (21%) and stillbirth (10%) were also prevalent. The majority of mothers (24%) were asymptomatic, with shortness of breath identified as the primary symptom (17%). Cesarean section rates were 30%, and miscarriage occurred in 2% of cases. Notably, complications such as placental abruption, meconium aspiration, and cardiorespiratory arrest were infrequent. Compared to mothers in good health, the outcomes for the newborns showed a significant difference in preterm birth (37% vs. 14%, P = 0.004) and premature rupture of the membranes (13% vs. 2%, P = 0.035). Conclusions: This study emphasizes the increased risk of preterm birth and associated complications, along with varied maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies positive for SARS-CoV-2. The findings contribute to the understanding of COVID-19's impact on pregnancy outcomes, urging further comprehensive investigations for enhanced insights and the development of improved maternal-fetal care strategies.