Intrauterine Growth Restriction and other pregnancy complications following covid-19 infection

Abstract

Background The WHO, reported world widespread coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as an international public health emergency. Pregnancy is associated with immunological changes that may make women susceptible to COVID-19. The present study was conducted to clarify the impacts of the pandemic on intra uterine growth restriction (IUGR) and other complications of pregnancy. Material & methods In a historical cohort study, COVID-19-positive cases who were hospitalized and a subgroup of Intensive Care Unit (ICU)-admitted (severe) cases were compared with those who had no history of COVID-19 infection, regarding IUGR and other complications of pregnancy. Results Among 1010 pregnant women enrolled in the study, 43 (4.3%) had a history of hospitalization due to COVID-19 (including 28 ICU-admitted severe cases) through pregnancy and the other 967 cases who had no history of infection were compared. In the comparison of COVID-19 with non-COVID-19 groups, IUGR, and preterm laborwere more frequent in the COVID-19 group(16.3% versus 6.9%) and (51.2% versus 19.9%), respectively. Also, the cesarean section rate was higher (75% versus 55.3%) and the low APGAR score was more frequent (16.3% versus 3.3–3.7%) Conclusion Complications of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy such as IUGR, preterm labor, higher rate of cesarean section,and low APGAR score might make pregnant women more vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic and probable future versions of viral pandemics.