Preterm delivery in a 33-year-old pregnant woman with monkeypox virus infection

Abstract

Introduction: Monkeypox is a viral illness caused by an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the genus orthopoxvirus in the Poxviridae family. Until now, available data on the perinatal outcomes in pregnant people with monkeypox infection acquired in pregnancy are still limited. Case Report: We report a case of a 33-year-old pregnant woman with monkeypox virus infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of skin lesions. She had a spontaneous preterm delivery at 32 weeks’ gestation. The monkeypox skin lesions occurred at 20 weeks’ gestation, cleared at 24 weeks’ gestation, and the infant was well at birth with no evidence of monkeypox infection. Conclusion: This case report underlines the possible association between monkeypox virus infection acquired in pregnancy and preterm birth, which is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality.