Pregnant patients with severe or critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but not those with mild or moderate COVID-19, were at increased risk for perinatal complications compared with asymptomatic patients.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate pregnancy outcomes according to 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) gestational weight gain guidelines. METHODS This study is a secondary analysis of a preeclampsia prevention trial among nulliparas carrying singletons. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (adjusted for maternal age, race, smoking, and treatment group) were calculated based on total weight gain below or above the IOM guidelines, stratified by prepregnancy body mass index (BMI). The referent group was weight gain within the guidelines. RESULTS Of 8,293 pregnancies, 9.5% had weight gain below, 17.5% within, and 73% above IOM guidelines. With excess weight gain, all BMI categories had an increased risk of hypertensive disorders; normal weight and overweight women also had increased risk of cesarean delivery and infant birth weight at or above the 90th centile but a decreased risk of weight below the10th centile. There were no consistent associations with insufficient weight gain and adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION Excess weight gain was prevalent and associated with an increased risk of hypertensive disorders, cesarean delivery and large for gestational age infants..

Objective To identify clinical characteristics and biochemical markers in first-trimester samples that would possibly predict the subsequent development of preeclampsia. Methods We conducted a multicenter observational study in 2,434 low-risk nulliparous women to identify biomarkers that possibly predict preeclampsia. Clinical history, complete blood count, and biochemical markers were assessed in the first trimester. The trophoblast and angiogenesis markers ADAM-12 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease 12), pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), PP13, placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, and endoglin were measured in a case-control subset of 174 women with preeclampsia and 509 controls. Results Univariable analysis revealed maternal age, race, marital status, years of education, source of medical payment, prenatal caregiver, body mass index (BMI), and systolic blood pressure at enrollment were significantly associated with preeclampsia. Mean platelet volume was greater at enrollment in women who later developed preeclampsia (median 9.4 vs 9.0fl, p=0.02). First-trimester concentrations (multiples of the median) of ADAM-12 (1.14 vs 1.04, p=0.003), PAPP-A (0.94 vs 0.98, p=0.04), and PlGF (0.83 vs 1.04, p<0.001) were significantly different in women who developed preeclampsia compared with controls. The optimal multivariable model included African American race, systolic blood pressure, BMI, education level, ADAM-12, PAPP-A and PlGF, and yielded an area under the curve of 0.73 (95% CI 0.69–0.77) and a sensitivity of 46.1% (95% CI 38.3–54.0) for 80% specificity. Conclusion A multivariable analysis of clinical data and biochemical markers in the first trimester did not identify a model that had clinical utility for predicting preeclampsia in a low-risk nulliparous population.

Objective To estimate whether there is an association between excessive early gestational weight gain and the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and excessive fetal growth. Methods This is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of vitamins C and E in nulliparous low-risk women. Maternal weight gain from prepregnancy (self-reported) to 15–18 weeks of gestation was measured, and expected gestational weight gain was determined using the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 guidelines for each prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) category. Excessive early gestational weight gain was defined as gestational weight gain greater than the upper range of the IOM guidelines. Rates of GDM, birth weight greater than 4000g, and large for gestational age ([LGA], birth weight 90th percentile or higher) were calculated and compared between women with excessive early gestational weight gain and early nonexcessive gestational weight gain (within or below IOM guidelines). Results A total of 7,985 women were studied. Excessive early gestational weight gain occurred in 47.5% of women. Ninety-three percent of women with excessive early gestational weight gain had total gestational weight gain greater than IOM guidelines. In contrast, only 55% of women with nonexcessive early gestational weight gain had total gestational weight gain greater than IOM guidelines (p<0.001). Rates of GDM, LGA, and birth weight greater than 4000 grams were higher in women with excessive early gestational weight gain. Conclusions In our population, excessive early gestational weight gain occurred in 93% of women who had total gestational weight gain greater than the IOM guidelines. In low-risk nulliparous women, excessive early gestational weight gain is associated with the development of GDM and excessive fetal growth.