Characteristics and Risks of COVID-19 in Pregnant Women & Neonates: A Retrospective, Age-matched Comparison Study—Wuhan Experience in the Management of Peripartum Health
Authors: Xie Qin , Gan Quan , Hu Jing , Zhou Dong , Cai Shuhan , Li Yunxiang , Qian Yaoyao , Peng Zhiyong , Li Yiming 
Published: May 2023

ABSTRACT

Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has since spread globally causing the ongoing pandemic. However, there are few studies on the symptoms and outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 and their newborns. Limited data are available comparing pregnant women with and without COVID-19 pneumonia. Our study aimed to find symptoms unique in pregnancy to help the early detection of COVID-19 in pregnant women and to evaluate its impact on perinatal women and their newborns.

Methods:
Clinical data were reviewed and collected for 11 pregnant women with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 (pregnant confirmed cohort) who were consecutively admitted to Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University and Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, from January 26 to February 26, 2020. They were subsequently matched by age with 11 pregnant women suspected of COVID-19 (pregnant suspected group) who had typical changes in chest computed tomography (CT) scans but were repeatedly negative for reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR), with 11 pregnant women who were not infected (pregnant non-infected group), and with 44 non-pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 (Non-pregnant confirmed group).

Results:
The significant symptoms in pregnant confirmed women were mild fever and fatigue. Both the confirmed and suspected women had a fever (45.5% vs. 72.7%, P > 0.05) which were barely distinguishable. The chest CT scans of confirmed women showed unspecific manifestations, such as bilateral pleural effusions and slightly increased densities. Eight of eleven (72.7%) confirmed women did not feel anything unusual until abnormalities were found on chest CT scans on the admission screening test. All three groups had elevated white blood cell count, neutrophil count, lactate dehydrogenase, and reduced total protein. Compared to the normal group, women in the confirmed group had significantly reduced hemoglobin, lymphocyte, albumin, and increased lactate dehydrogenase (P < 0.05). The infection did not increase the risk of premature delivery, premature rupture of the membrane, or comorbidities in pregnancy. The neonates of the three groups of mothers had similar symptoms, except for those of the confirmed group had increased heart rate (130–143 bpm) and mean arterial pressure (93–112 mmHg) than those born to the normal group. The infection of the mother did lead to more complications in their neonates. And there was no evidence of vertical transmission during late pregnancy.

Conclusions:
Pregnant women were often asymptomatic and had incidental abnormal findings on a chest CT scan on admission. Screening of CT scans in disease prevalent areas is thus of crucial importance. Even after the laboratory confirmation, the manifestation of the CT scan could be atypical, which alerted the necessity of protection for healthcare workers. COVID-19 did not increase the risk of complications in pregnant women and their neonates.