Adverse complications for COVID positive pregnant women and their
newborns

Date:
October 11, 2021
Source:
Taylor & Francis Group
Summary:
A new study, which finds an increased risk of poorer outcomes for
the new-borns and symptomatic women with COVID-19, adds further
weight to the argument for pregnant women to be vaccinated for
the virus.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new study, which finds an increased risk of poorer outcomes for the
new-borns and symptomatic women with COVID-19, adds further weight to
the argument for pregnant women to be vaccinated for the virus.


========================================================================== Assessing 2,471 women in the third trimester of their pregnancy, close
to their delivery, researchers found "significant differences" for
symptomatic covid positive patients including higher rates of gestational diabetes, lower white blood cell counts and heavier bleeding during
delivery, whilst respiratory complications were witnessed in their babies.

Thankfully in the group of patients -- which included 172 covid positive
women (56 of whom were symptomatic) -- monitored at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Israel, only one person needed mechanical ventilation,
and there were no maternal deaths.

The peer-reviewed findings are published today in The Journal of
Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. They show, lead Dr Elior Eliasi
states, that COVID-19 in the third trimester of pregnancy "has clinical implications, albeit at lower rates than expected once asymptomatic
patients are taken into account." "Our analysis finds there were no significant increase in cesarean delivery in women, who were COVID-19
positive and the incidence of preterm deliveries was not significantly different among the three groups (healthy, covid positive asymptomatic,
covid positive symptomatic). Most pregnancy and delivery outcomes were
similar between COVID-19-positive and -negative parturients (a woman
about to give birth; in labour).

"However, There were significant differences between the COVID-19-positive
and healthy controls included higher rates of GDM (gestational diabetes),
low lymphocyte counts (white blood cell count) which were significantly
lower, postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding during birth), and neonatal
respiratory complications." Dr Eliasi, who is based at the Mayanei
Hayeshua Medical Center, adds: "Our findings support the importance of vaccinating all pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy." The study
looked at births at the hospital between 26 March and 30 September
2020. A total of 93% of women admitted to the labour ward during this
period were negative for COVID-19. Of the COVID-19-positive patients,
67% were asymptomatic.

On average the increase risk of incidence of adverse outcomes was 13.8%
higher for asymptomatic covid patients and 19.6% higher for those
symptomatic.

"More data is now needed to better delineate the differences between
pregnancy outcomes seen in certain populations, potentially related
to different viral characteristics (subtypes, viral load), patient
epigenetics, or other factors," the authors state.

"Additionally, the effects of maternal infection on the fetus
both in terms of symptomatic maternal illness and vertical viral
transmission remain to be further investigated." Limitations of
this study include it being retrospective; whilst another is that
the sample includes a relatively healthy population admitted
to just a single community hospital. "Therefore," the authors
state their findings, "may not be generalizable to all populations." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Taylor_&_Francis_Group. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Linda Harel, Elior Eliasi, Shirlee Jaffe Lifshitz, Yehudit
Schindler,
Doron Rosen, Ioana Olteanu, Amichai Rottenstreich, Avinoam
Tzabari. Does the presence of symptoms affect pregnancy
outcomes in third trimester in women with SARS-CoV-2. The
Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 2021; 1 DOI:
10.1080/14767058.2021.1956895 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211011091314.htm

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