Pregnant women not at greater risk of severe COVID-19
Pregnant women are no more likely to become ill with severe COVID-19 than women who are not pregnant, new research suggests.
However, the majority of women who did become severely ill were in their third trimester of pregnancy, emphasising the importance of social distancing for this group.
The study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, looked at 427 pregnant women admitted to hospitals in the UK between 1 March and 14 April 2020 with confirmed COVID-19.
This was 4.9 women out of every 1,000 pregnant women, suggesting pregnant women are not at a higher risk of experiencing severe illness.
Information for the study was collected from all 194 hospitals in the UK with a consultant-led maternity unit. NIHR involvement was coordinated by the NIHR Clinical Research Network Thames Valley and South Midlands.
Pregnant women from black and ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to be admitted to hospital for COVID-19.
The analysis also showed that older pregnant women, those who were overweight or obese, and pregnant women who had pre-existing medical problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, were more likely to be admitted to hospital with the infection.
Women who were admitted to hospital with COVID-19 in pregnancy were less likely to smoke than a group of comparison pregnant women.
The study was led by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the universities of Leeds and Birmingham and King’s and Imperial colleges London.
Other important findings from the study include:
- One in five babies born to mothers hospitalised with COVID-19 were born premature and were admitted to a neonatal unit
- One in 20 babies born had a positive test for COVID-19, but only half of them immediately after birth
- 60 percent of the women admitted to hospital have now given birth, while the remaining forty percent have ongoing pregnancies.
- Most women have now been discharged home. Around one in 10 women required intensive care, and sadly five women have died.
Outcomes for babies born to mothers with COVID-19 were mostly good. Although almost one in five were born prematurely and were admitted to a neonatal unit, fewer than 20 babies were born very premature (when their mothers were less than 32 weeks pregnant).
One in 20 babies born had a positive test for COVID-19, but only half of these babies had a positive test immediately after birth, suggesting that transmission of infection from mother to baby is low.
The University of Oxford’s Professor Marian Knight, lead investigator for the study, said: “A very small number of pregnant women do become severely ill with COVID-19 and sadly some women have died.
“Our thoughts must remain with their families. It is concerning that more pregnant women from black and minority ethnic groups are admitted with COVID-19 in pregnancy and this needs urgent investigation.
“Most pregnant women who were admitted to hospital were more than six months pregnant, which emphasises the importance of continued social distancing measures in the later stages of pregnancy. Following the current guidance about careful social distancing will help prevent infection.”
