Affiliation:
1. Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ciências Pneumológicas da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Porto Alegre Brazil
2. Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) Porto Alegre Brazil
3. Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Porto Alegre Brazil
Abstract
AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women with COVID‐19 and to compare with pregnant women without COVID‐19. In addition, in the subgroup of patients who were symptomatic at the time of diagnosis, the persistence of symptoms was assessed.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study. All pregnant women aged ≥18 years, admitted to the maternity ward from March 2020 to September 2023 were included in the study. All patients admitted were routinely screened for SARS‐CoV‐2. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were registered.ResultsDuring the study period, 880 patients met the inclusion and were included in the analysis: 385 were COVID‐19 positive and 495 were COVID‐19 negative. In a multivariate analysis of the outcomes associated with COVID‐19 among pregnant women, hospitalization and the Apgar score at 5 min were independently associated with COVID‐19. Cesarean delivery, preterm birth, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min <7, and maternal death were more frequent in pregnant women with COVID‐19 admitted to ICU than in those not admitted to ICU. Approximately 30% of patients had persistence of symptoms, for at least 6 months in almost 60%.ConclusionThe findings of the present study suggest that COVID‐19 was associated with increased morbidity and mortality among pregnant women. In addition, pregnant women with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection were at significantly higher risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, especially preterm birth.