Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Pregnant Women With COVID-19 Admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital of Sari, Iran, 2019 - 2020

Background: The COVID-19 infection may adversely affect both the mother and baby. Evaluation and identification of aggravating factors can help prevent adverse outcomes. Objectives: The present study aimed to examine pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and evaluate the disease outcomes in Sari, Iran. Methods: The present case series study was performed on 17 pregnant women hospitalized for COVID-19 in Sari. A convenience sampling method was used. First, the researcher took the demographic information and medical history and obtained informed consent from all participants. Then, the selected subjects were examined for inclusion and exclusion criteria, and a throat swab sample was taken from eligible ones for PCR. The PCR was performed for amniotic fluid and neonatal throat samples at pregnancy termination. Six weeks after delivery, the status of rehospitalization of the baby, breastfeeding status, rehospitalization of the mother due to COVID-19, and the state of depression of the mother were evaluated by a 21-item questionnaire over the phone. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS version 23 using the Chi-square test. Results: Out of 19 participants, 17 (68%) had positive results for COVID-19 laboratory tests. The prevalence of preterm labor, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, and vertical transmission were significantly high in pregnant women with COVID-19 and positive PCR results for amniotic fluid (P < 0.050). The frequency of admission to the ICU was significantly higher in pregnant women with diabetes infected with COVID-19 (P = 0.025). There was no rehospitalization of the mother and newborn due to COVID-19, but one case of postpartum depression (9.5%) and two cases of formula feeding (11.8%) were reported. Conclusions: Due to the high risk of maternal and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19 during pregnancy and the high probability of vertical transmission, it is recommended to take special precautions to prevent the disease during this period.