Clinical-epidemiological characteristics and maternal-foetal outcomes in pregnant women hospitalised with COVID-19 in Venezuela: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background In low- and middle-income countries, pregnant women and newborns are more vulnerable to adverse outcomes from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, in Venezuela, there are no integrated data in a national surveillance system to identify the clinical-epidemiological characteristics and maternal-foetal outcomes of pregnant women hospitalised with COVID-19. Methods A retrospective study was conducted among Venezuelan pregnant women hospitalised with COVID-19 seen at the “Ruiz y Páez” University Hospital Complex and the San Cristobal Central Hospital between June 2020 and September 2021. Information was obtained from physical and digitised clinical records using a form to collect epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, treatment, obstetric and perinatal complications, and maternal-foetal outcomes data. Results A total of 80 pregnant women with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were tested, 59 (73.8%) survived and 21 (26.2%) deceased. The median age was 29 [IQR —interquartile range— 10] years, the majority being in the third trimester of pregnancy (81.2%). Interestingly, four (5%) pregnant women were co-infected with malaria by Plasmodium vivax and three (3.8%) with syphilis. The most frequent symptoms were fever (75%), dry cough (68.8%), dyspnoea (55%), and headache (53.8%). The most frequent maternal complications were anaemia (51.5%) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (17.5%). The most frequent perinatal complications were preterm delivery (39.2%) and oligohydramnios (31.3%). A total of 29 (36.3%) perinatal deaths were documented, 21 stillbirth and eight abortions. Conclusion This is the first study to describe the clinical-epidemiological behaviour of COVID-19 in hospitalised Venezuelan pregnant women. Anaemia, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm birth, and perinatal death were the most frequent maternal-foetal complications in this population of pregnant women.