There are significant risks, doctors warn.
American scientists confirm that infection with SARS-CoV-2 increases the risk of an adverse outcome of childbirth, in particular the risk of stillbirth since the start of the pandemic. And if in the first months there was not enough information, then over time it became clear exactly how the new coronavirus infection affects childbirth.
New study of coronavirus in pregnant women
Scientists from the Institute of Systems Biology (USA) found that SARS-CoV-2 increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes, including the risk of stillbirth. They studied electronic medical records of more than 18,000 people who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy.
When coronavirus has the worst effect
According to the study, preterm births and stillbirths were observed mainly in women who underwent COVID -19 in the first or second trimester. And in pregnant women who had coronavirus in the third trimester, babies with low weight were most often born.
Difficulty of the course
The participants had a mild to moderate infection. The scientists argue that the severity of maternal COVID-19 infection did not correlate with the baby's gestational age at the time of birth. In addition, there were poor birth outcomes even if the mother did not have severe respiratory problems with COVID-19 at the time of infection.
Which women were most likely to have coronavirus
Women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 with were more likely to be of Hispanic ethnicity, race other than Asian or White, younger age, higher body mass index, lower education level, and other factors that scientists believe are also associated with negative birth outcomes. The study was conducted before COVID-19 vaccines were widely available in the US.
Scottish scientists previously determined the perinatal mortality rate (i.e. death of the fetus or newborn) for women who contracted the coronavirus while pregnant. It was 22.6 per 1,000 births, compared with 5.6 per 1,000 births among those who did not have coronavirus.