Evaluation of long‐COVID symptoms in women infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 during pregnancy

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the symptoms of Long COVID (LC), frequency of symptoms, and possible risk factors in women diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) during pregnancy.MethodsWe conducted a single‐center, cross‐sectional, retrospective study in 99 pregnant women who were polymerase chain reaction‐positive (PCR+) for COVID‐19 between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2022. The control group consisted of 99 women who gave birth between these dates and did not have COVID‐19. We evaluated the clinical manifestations, symptom prevalence, and symptom characteristics of acute COVID‐19 and the LC in the PCR+ group as well as questioned the control group for LC symptoms.ResultsOf the women in the PCR+ group, 74 (74.7%) had at least one LC symptom, and the most common symptoms were fatigue (54; 72.9%), myalgia/arthralgia (49; 66.2%), and anosmia/ageusia (31; 41.9%). The rate of LC symptoms in the control group was 14 (14.1%). The prevalence of LC symptoms was higher in severely/critically symptomatic patients (23; 100%) in the acute period of disease than in asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic (51; 67.1%) (P = 0.005). Hospitalization during acute infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 13.30), having one or more symptoms (aOR = 4.75), and having symptoms such as cough (aOR = 6.27) and myalgia/arthralgia (aOR = 12.93) increased the likelihood of LC.ConclusionMany women experienced LC after suffering acute COVID‐19 in pregnancy, but LC prevalence was similar to the general population. LC correlates with severity, type, and number of symptoms of acute COVID‐19.