Irish health authorities are investigating whether four cases of dead babies are linked to the coronavirus outbreak, the country’s deputy medical director Ronan Glynn said on Thursday.
At a press conference in Dublin, Glynn said authorities had tracked down “four preliminary reports of fatalities potentially associated with a disease called Covid placentis”.
According to the medical examiners who reported the cases, the pregnant women tested positive for the coronavirus and then gave birth to a dead baby whose cause of death was a placental infection.
“More research is needed” before confirming the results, Glynn said, adding that he could not “give too many details because there is not much more at this stage,” as forensic scientists had not concluded their findings.
Covida placentitis is “a concern,” but “very rare,” he said. The disease is noticed in women who have had positive coronavirus tests before having a fatal fact.
“We haven’t seen a high incidence of it internationally and we wouldn’t expect to see a high incidence of it here,” Glynn told reporters.
In a statement, Dr. Cliona Murphy, president of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said a small number of cases were being “scientifically investigated.”
“It is important for pregnant women who have positive Covid results to attend appointments with their healthcare providers in the weeks following the infection,” Murphy said.
“The vast majority of pregnant women who had Covid have had mild symptoms and no adverse outcomes. Large-scale surveillance data in the UK have not shown a higher incidence of stillbirth.
“Pregnant women in priority groups can be vaccinated. U.S. data on COVID vaccines during pregnancy are reassuring,” she added.
“We are beginning to see the impact of COVID vaccines that, along with restrictions, reduce the incidence of COVID-19 infections in the community, which will be protective for pregnant women.”
According to the latest official figures, the Republic of Ireland has recorded 4,396 deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic. The country is currently in the third blockade after suffering the highest rate of infection per capita in the world in early January.