Maternal, Fetal and Neonatal Outcomes in Hospitalized Pregnant Women with Covid-19 in Northern Iran: A Prospective Study

The Covid-19 pandemic can cause complications for pregnant women and more serious maternal, fetal and neonatal care related to this disease should be considered in health systems. The aim of the present study was to investigate the maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 disease.

We performed a prospective study with a longitudinal design of all pregnant women hospitalized due to moderate and severe COVID-19 referred to Al-Zahra hospital, Rasht, Iran. After patient discharge, patients were followed until delivery, maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes were assessed by a 4-part researcher-made questionnaire.

In total, 166 pregnant women with Covid-19 were included in the study. The median gestational age in patients was 35.5 weeks and the median delivery age was 38 weeks. Delivery in 137 (82.5%) women were cesarean section and 29 (17.5%) had a vaginal delivery. The most common clinical symptoms among patients were fever, cough, and dyspnea with 50.9%, 38.5%, and 31.5% frequency, respectively, 9.6% had poor prenatal outcomes, 15 patients (9%) were admitted to ICU and 4 patients died (2.4%). Poor maternal outcomes were reported in 61.5% of patients with severe clinical symptoms, (p <0.001). There was no significant relationship between the severity of the disease and the type of delivery (p = 0.41).

In our study we observed an increase in poor maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes particularly in pregnant women with severe symptoms, although careful care is still recommended for affected pregnant women to reduce fetal, neonatal, and maternal complications. Further research will be needed to devise plan for pregnancy care and future health care crises.