Pregnant women who are infected with the coronavirus and hospitalised are at risk for developing serious complications, and may face an elevated risk for delivering their babies prematurely, according to new studies from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. They may also be at greater risk of losing the pregnancy or having a stillbirth.
The troubling findings are consistent with some earlier reports that pregnant women may be at increased risk for severe illness when they become infected with the new coronavirus. But some experts warned that the findings, drawn from relatively small numbers of patients, including many hospitalised because of Covid-19, may not be representative of all pregnant women who are infected.
The studies found that many hospitalised pregnant women who were infected with the virus did not have any symptoms. Among those who did have symptoms, however, between 16 per cent and 30 per cent required intensive care, and 6 per cent to 8.5 per cent required ventilators to help with breathing. Among the 703 cases described in the two reports, three died.
Both studies found that pregnant women infected with the coronavirus experienced a higher rate of preterm deliveries than expected, and some had stillbirths.
The immune system is suppressed during pregnancy, a response designed to prevent adverse reactions to the foetus but one that increases susceptibility to viral infections. The lungs may be affected by the expanding uterus, and the cardiovascular system is working harder. Covid-19 can also raise the risks of blood clots, and little is known about effects on the placenta.
New York Times News Service