Normal Vaginal Delivery in a Woman with COVID-19

The results of studies on the outcomes and course of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in pregnant women are inconsistent. Proper characterization of the disease process can help healthcare providers in the accurate management and control of the disease in vulnerable individuals, particularly pregnant women. We herein report a case of a multiparous pregnant woman with COVID-19.

Case description: 

A 30-year-old pregnant woman (gravida 3 para 2) with gestational age of 39 weeks and six days and a history of occasional fever and chills in the past week was admitted to the midwifery triage with complaints of myalgia as well as severe pubic symphysis and back pain. The patient had the following vital signs at admission: fetal heart rate: 140 beats/min, oxygen saturation: 96%, temperature: 37 oC, respiratory rate: 17 breaths/min, pulse rate: 126 beats/min and blood pressure: 100/70 mmHg. The mother was positive for COVID-19 in both PCR and chest CT-scan findings, which demonstrated presence of multiple opacities in both lungs in favor of viral pneumonia.
Vaginal delivery was performed and an apparently healthy, term and cephalic baby girl was born with an Apgar score of 9 at one minute and 10 at five minutes after birth. The baby was negative for COVID-19 based on the molecular testing.

With proper management and timely separation of the mother from the baby and preparing breast milk by a non-infected person, no maternal or neonatal complications were observed in our case. More studies are required to gain a better understating about the possible morbidities and mortalities associated with COVID-19 during pregnancy