Study sees higher Covid-19 mortality in pregnant women

A Cohort study done at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporationrsquos BMC Sion hospital has showed that although a majority of pregnant women who were Covid19positive were discharged without any major complications severe maternal morbidity has been reported among the group as opposed to nonCovid19 pregnant patientsThe study involved 46 pregnant women hospitalised at the hospital between April and December 2020 The women required ICU admission with severe morbidityldquoIn our study we observed pregnant ICU patients who had Covid19 and those who did not Maternal death in Covid19 positive patients was 75 per cent and in nonCovid19 patients it was 3157 per centrdquo said Dr Niranjan Chavan coauthor and senior gynaecologist at Sion hospitalHe said that it is known that whilst pregnant women are not necessarily more susceptible to viral illnesses physiological pregnancyrelated changes to their immune system can be associated with more severe symptoms ldquoThis is particularly true in the third trimester Most pregnant women with Covid19 infection are encountered with mild to moderate flulike symptoms Cough fever shortness of breath headache anosmia complete loss of smell and loss of taste are other relevant symptomsrdquo said Dr ChavanHe added that more severe symptoms which suggest pneumonia and marked hypoxia are widely described with Covid19 in older people the immunosuppressed and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes cancer or chronic lung disease ldquoThese symptoms of severe infection were present in pregnant women toordquo said Dr ChavanMore studies change opinionsDr Sudeshna Ray senior consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Jaslok Hospital said that worldwide initial studies especially with the first wave did not show any significant effect on maternal or perinatal mortality or morbidity She said opinions regarding outcomes have changed with the second wave and more robust studies worldwideldquoWith the second wave my experience along with that of other colleagues was different My patients had unexplained stillbirths increased hospitalisations in the third trimester few ICU admissions and even one neonatal death The experience in the government hospitals was almost similar to mine The recovery rate from wards and ICUs has been almost 100 per cent but the anxietyillness and hospital stay had a negative effect on the psychological stability of my patientsrdquo said Dr RayReducing maternal mortality throughout the world by 2030 is a global pact through the Sustainable Developmental Goals SDG Gynaecologists have raised concerns and said the SDG have faced a major hindrance because of Covid19 especially with higher rates of near misses and mortality in middle and lowincome countriesldquoApart from rolling up our sleeves and creating better infrastructure to handle Covid19 during pregnancy perhaps the best way to deal with it is to get women vaccinated as early as possible The risk of Covid19 during pregnancy is far higher as compared to the small potential risk of taking the vaccine including fever and mild illness Women should be encouraged to get vaccinated while planning a pregnancy while pregnant and or during lactationrdquo said Dr RayWhat are cohort studiesCohort studies are a type of medical research used to investigate the causes of a disease and to establish links between risk factors and health outcomes7537Mortality rate in Covid19 pregnant ICU patients