SARS-CoV2 in Pregnancy—The First Wave

<i>Background and Objectives:</i> COVID-19, a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a public health emergency. Data on the effect of the virus on pregnancy are limited. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> We carried out a retrospective descriptive study, in order to evaluate the obstetr...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andreia de Vasconcelos Gaspar, Isabel Santos Silva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
Series:Medicina
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/57/3/241
Description
Summary:<i>Background and Objectives:</i> COVID-19, a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a public health emergency. Data on the effect of the virus on pregnancy are limited. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> We carried out a retrospective descriptive study, in order to evaluate the obstetric results on pregnant women in which SARS-CoV2 was detected through RT-PCR of the nasopharyngeal swab, at admission to the maternity hospital. <i>Results:</i> From 16 March to 31 July 2020, 12 SARS-CoV2 positive pregnant women have been hospitalized. Eleven were hospitalized for initiation or induction of labor, corresponding to 0.64% of deliveries in the maternity hospital. One pregnant woman was hospitalized for threatened abortion, culminating in a stillbirth at 20 weeks of gestation. Regarding the severity of the disease, nine women were asymptomatic and three had mild illness (two had associated cough and one headache). Three had relevant environmental exposure and a history of contact with infected persons. None had severe or critical illness due to SARS-CoV2. There were no maternal deaths. The following gestational complications were observed: one stillbirth, one preterm labor, one preterm prelabor rupture of membranes, and one fetal growth restriction. Four deliveries were eutocic, two vacuum-assisted deliveries and five were cesarean sections. The indications for cesarean section were obstetric. <i>Conclusions:</i> SARS-CoV-2 infection was found in a minority of hospitalized pregnant women in this sample. Most are asymptomatic or have mild illness, from gestational complications to highlight stillbirth and preterm birth. There were no cases of vertical transmission by coronavirus.
ISSN:1010-660X