The Effects and Outcomes of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pregnant Women in Kuwait

Abstract

<b><i>Objectives:</i></b> This retrospective study reports the effects of COVID-19 among hospitalized pregnant women infected with COVID-19 and compares them to a control group. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study, in which data of pregnant women with COVID-19, admitted to five different hospitals in Kuwait, were collected. Two groups were included; the first group was women with COVID-19 who were admitted between March 22, 2020, and December 31, 2020. The second (control) group included pregnant women without COVID-19 who were admitted between March 1, 2019, and March 21, 2020. Data were collected using a standardized data collection survey, entered using Excel software, and analyzed using analysis of variance. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We compared 764 patients, with confirmed COVID-19 with 765 uninfected control subjects. The majority of pregnant women were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection during the third trimester. Tachycardia was the most frequent sign at admission, and dry cough and fever were the most common presenting symptoms. ICU admission and respiratory failure were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. Cesarean section (CS) rate was higher in the COVID-19 group, with obstetric and maternal complications being the most common indications in comparison to fetal indications in the control group. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> This study was conducted to identify the effects of COVID-19 in pregnancy. Most patients were asymptomatic. The rate of normal vaginal delivery was higher in the control group. The main indications for CS in the COVID-19 group were obstetrical and maternal complications compared to fetal complications in the control group.