AN INSIGHT ON THE MATERNAL & FETAL OUTCOME OF CRITICALLY ILL PREGNANT
WOMEN DURING THE SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19
Abstract
Objective: To assess and compare the Maternal and fetal outcomes of
critically ill pregnant women infected with COVID – 19 cases of
pneumonia who required admission to the intensive care unit. Design: A
retrospective observational study Settings: Tertiary care hospital
settings affiliated with an academic center in UAE. Patients and
Methods: A total of 123 patients in their third trimester were included
from 1 December 2020 to 31 March 2021 in the study with 30 cases of
severe or critical COVID and 93 mild to moderate pregnant COVID
patients. The maternal demographic, radiological, and biochemical
profile of mothers was noted. Maternal and fetal outcomes were compared.
Main outcomes Measured: Maternal and fetal outcomes were compared in
severe and mild COVID cases. Result: A total of 30 (24.3%) patients
were admitted in ICU and eight required invasive ventilation meaning,
Severe COVID was significantly associated with higher mortality (20% vs
0% p-value <0.001), postpartum complications (50% vs 9.67%
p-value<0.001) and increased overall hospital stay
(p-value<0.001). Neonates born to severe COVID patients had
significant higher chances of being born preterm (76.6% vs 35.7%
p-value<0.001) and have low birth weight (46.6% vs 13.9%
p-value=0.002). There were four cases of stillbirth, two cases of
vertical transmission, and no neonatal deaths. Conclusion: Pregnant
females with severe COVID have high mortality, peripartum complications;
and increased hospital stay. The newborns born to such mothers may be
premature, have low birth weights but have comparable mortality