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WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) – A new review may offer guidance on women who contract COVID-19 during pregnancy.
Pregnant women with COVID-19 are less likely to have symptoms than those who do not expect it, but are more likely to require intensive care, according to the study.
Having COVID-19 also increases an expectant mother’s risk of having a premature baby and having her baby admitted to the neonatal unit, the researchers found.
The risk of severe COVID-19 among pregnant women is highest among those who are older, overweight, and have pre-existing health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, the researchers concluded.
The international team of researchers, led by Shakila Thangaratinam, with the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Women’s Global Health at the University of Birmingham in England, analyzed 77 studies involving more than 11,400 pregnant and newly pregnant women. pregnant women hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID. -19.
Compared to non-pregnant women, the researchers found that pregnant women and newly pregnant women with COVID-19 were less likely to have fever and muscle pain, but were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit and require ventilation.
A quarter of babies born to mothers with COVID-19 entered the neonatal unit, which is higher than the rate among babies born to mothers without the coronavirus.
However, stillbirth and newborn death rates were low among mothers with COVID-19, according to the study. The results were published on September 1 in the BMJ.
The findings show that healthcare providers should be aware that pregnant women with the virus may require intensive care and specialized baby care, Thangaratinam and her colleagues said in a journal news release.
Additionally, pregnant women with pre-existing health conditions, as well as obese and older women, should be considered at high risk for COVID-19, the researchers added.
Pregnant women are believed to be at increased risk for COVID-19 infection and there are concerns about the potential harm to mothers and babies. However, published reviews on COVID-19 in pregnancy are rapidly becoming outdated as new data becomes available.
The findings from this study provide a strong evidence base for the COVID-19 and pregnancy guidelines, according to the researchers.
More information
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about COVID-19 and pregnancy.
SOURCE: BMJ, press release, September 1, 2020
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