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While at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic it was believed that most pregnant women had COVID-19 asymptomatically, today we know that they are many times more likely to be at risk of severe infection. The collection of information on this topic continues. Scientists from the University of Oxford have just announced their research. COVID-19 causes more complications in pregnancy than we thought, they admit. What did they find out?
- Pregnant women are many times more likely to be at risk of severe COVID-19
- New study found pregnant women with COVID-19 were at higher risk of premature birth, pre-eclampsia, intensive care admission and even death
- Newborns of infected women were three times more likely to experience serious complications resulting in admission to the neonatal intensive care unit
- Scientists: Surveys should warn pregnant women and doctors to strictly implement all recommended COVID-19 preventive measures
- More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.
How COVID-19 affects pregnant women and the fetus – what do we know today?
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus had and still has its secrets to us. As we learn about the pathogen and the COVID-19 disease it causes, our knowledge has changed. This also applies to its effects on the pregnant woman and the fetus. Recall that at the beginning of the pandemic, it was believed that pregnant women did not seem to be more susceptible to the effects of COVID-19 infection. This was due to preliminary analyzes carried out in March last year in Wuhan.
As we learn about the coronavirus and COVID-19, knowledge about the complications that can arise in an infected pregnant woman has changed. Although, as the science website sciencealert.com notes, the gathering of information and research in this field was slower than many physicians would have liked. Nevertheless, today we know that pregnant women are many times more likely to be at risk of severe COVID-19.
- More and more pregnant women are infected. What happens when a pregnant woman becomes ill with COVID-19?
Moreover, a few days ago, the peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Pediatrics published the results of a study by scientists from the University of Oxford on complications in pregnant and fetus related to COVID-19. “We now know that the risk to mothers and babies is greater than we assumed at the start of the pandemic,” said one of the study’s authors, Stephen Kennedy. “The findings should warn pregnant women and physicians to strictly implement all recommended COVID-19 preventive measures,” the researchers cautioned. What exactly did the study show?
COVID-19 and complications in pregnant women – new findings
British scientists observed 2130 pregnant women from 18 countries around the world (it lasted from March to October 2020). 706 of them were diagnosed with COVID-19, the rest of the women were free from it. Each pregnant woman with COVID-19 was “assigned” to two healthy pregnant women from the same hospital at the same stage of pregnancy. Scientists watched them until delivery and discharge from the hospital.
Researchers emphasize that the study was observational, so it can only report on potential links between COVID-19 and pregnancy risk. Even so, the results turned out to be “consistently worse for pregnant women infected with the coronavirus”.
Studies have shown that pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 were at greater risk of severe infections, admission to intensive care units, and even death. Compared with pregnant women without coronavirus infection, pregnant women with COVID-19 were over 50%. more prone to complications related to pregnancy – premature birth, pre-eclampsia, admission to intensive care and death – says the co-author of the study, Prof. Aris Papageorghiou (works in fetal medicine and obstetrics). Complications also appeared in newborns. – Newborns of infected women were almost three times more likely to experience serious medical complications, resulting in admission to the neonatal intensive care unit mainly due to premature delivery, the scientist notes.
The study also showed that for women suffering from COVID-19 asymptomatically, the risk was similar to that of uninfected women.
COVID-19 in pregnant women. “Do everything possible to avoid contamination”
The results of the study by scientists from the University of Oxford are of great importance for women who are currently expecting a child or intend to become pregnant. Earlier analyzes showed that it is possible to transmit the coronavirus from mother to child. The work in question complements this research. In 13 percent babies born to women with COVID-19, the presence of the coronavirus was confirmed in the first few days after birth.
The research team also found that delivery by caesarean section was associated with a higher risk of testing positive for the virus in the baby, while breastfeeding did not.
As the co-author of the presented study, Stephen Kennedy, notes: – This information should help pregnant families – because everything possible should be done to avoid contamination. The findings also support arguments in favor of offering vaccination to all pregnant women.
The world of science expects more research results when it comes to the impact of COVID-19 on the pregnant woman and the fetus. Nevertheless, “the current arrangements provide much-needed clarity to women who are expecting a baby or who are considering becoming pregnant during a pandemic, and they are also valuable information for authorities managing immunization programs”.
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