SALT LAKE CITY: Pregnant women who developed severe symptoms of COVID-19 had a higher risk of pregnancy complications and even death compared to women who did not show mild or moderate symptoms or symptoms, according to a new study led by a University of Utah researcher. .
The good news, according to the study, is that most pregnant women who were studied did not experience severe or critical effects of COVID-19; however, Dr. Torri Metz, an associate professor and subspecialist in maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Utah Health, and lead author of the study, said it is still difficult to know why some pregnant women had severe symptoms while that of others not.
“(Adverse effects) seem to be predominantly limited to that serious and critical group, but we have no control over who ends up being part of that serious and critical group,” he said at a briefing with the media on Friday. “And since this was 12% of our population, I think we need to take that into account to know that if pregnant women develop COVID-19, they are at risk of developing serious and serious diseases. And if they do, they are at risk of having adverse effects on pregnancy. ”
The study was published Friday in time to be presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. The researchers analyzed data from more than 1,200 pregnant women in 33 hospitals in 14 states from March 1 to July 31, 2020.
In total, almost half were asymptomatic, while 27% had mild symptoms and 14% had moderate symptoms. Another 8% experienced severe symptoms and 4% experienced critical symptoms.
The researchers found that those who used to experience the worst symptoms were older, had a higher body mass index, and were more likely to suffer from underlying illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Women most likely to have severe coronavirus outcomes were more likely to die or have serious complications such as premature birth, postpartum hemorrhage, or intense postpartum bleeding, high blood pressure during pregnancy, or a cesarean delivery.
The mortality rate for the study of COVID-19 in women was also 0.3%, which would equate to 3 deaths per 1,000 or 300 per 100,000. The latest known rate of 17.4 deaths per 100,000 in pregnant women without COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This is much higher than expected at the baseline and is certainly worrisome,” Metz said. “During pregnancy, we see the same thing we see in people who are not pregnant, as there are increased mortality rates during this time period.”
Data on the highest COVID-19-related mortality are some of the issues raised by health colleagues at the University of Metz in Utah during a briefing Thursday. During this briefing, experts said COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in Utah during 2020, behind heart disease and cancer. It even overcame heart disease and cancer at some points during the end of the year.
Investigators were “somehow” surprised by the findings. Metz explained that they were not sure if there were adverse pregnancy outcomes with COVID-19 when they began the study. Nor did they know whether these would be influenced by the severity of the disease.
The study also had some limitations. He added that a “vast majority” of the patients studied were in the third trimester of pregnancy. Researchers still don’t know if the infection in the first trimester would cause birth defects.
Metz said the study could be considered reassuring for women who have mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19, who were the most likely to have any symptoms. That said, as there is no way to know someone’s outcome in advance, she advised pregnant women to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and follow all other public health measures aimed at reducing the risk of contracting COVID. -19.
Tips for vaccination against COVID-19 during pregnancy
Pregnant women were not included during the initial COVID-19 vaccine trials. Pfizer is currently in the process of studying the vaccine in pregnant women, but these trials have not yet been completed. At this time of vaccine deployment, pregnant medical professionals, emergency care or teachers would be among the people who should make the decision about vaccination.
The official position of the CDC in this regard is that pregnant people should consult their doctor, as there is no data on this issue. He added that there are no indications of risk from mRNA vaccine studies.
“When making a decision, pregnant women and their health care providers should consider the level of community transmission of COVID-19, the patient’s personal risk of contracting COVID-19, the risks of COVID-19 for the patient and possible risks to the fetus, vaccine efficacy, vaccine side effects, and lack of vaccine data during pregnancy, ”the CDC advises.
Although the study did not address vaccines, Metz said knowing the risks of COVID-19 disease is something women should consider when deciding to have a child during the pandemic and whether they want to get it. a COVID-19 vaccine.
This story will be updated.
Carter Williams