Hematologic adaptation to mask wearing and obstetrical outcome during
the COVID-19 pandemic - a cohort study
Abstract
Objectives: Mask-wearing can induce relative hypoxia, affecting
hematologic parameters. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19
mask-wearing on hematological laboratory components and obstetrical
outcome among women delivering during this period. Design: Retrospective
cohort study Setting: Tertiary medical center. Population: Pregnant
women delivering a singleton gestation. Methods: Obstetrical outcome and
laboratory results of women admitted for delivery throughout the
mask-wearing period were compared to those delivering during the
parallel period in 2019, and to a larger cohort derived from nine
pre-pandemic years Main outcome measure: Hematological, delivery and
neonatal outcomes characteristics. Results: Overall, 1,939 women
delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared with the pre-pandemic
period, the mean hemoglobin and fibrinogen levels were significantly
higher during the mask-wearing period [12.15±1.1 vs. 11.96±1.2,
p<0.001 and 472±103.6 vs. 448±85.1 (mg/dL), p<0.001,
respectively]. Platelets levels were lower [200±56.0 vs. 206±57.5
(K/microL), p<0.001]. The rate of delivery<34
weeks of gestation was lower during the mask-wearing period [1.1% vs.
2%, OR-0.57 (95% CI, 0.37-0.88), p=0.01], while cesarean delivery
and postpartum hemorrhage rates were higher [[26.7% vs. 24.4%, OR-
1.13 (95% CI, 1.02-1.25), p=0.022 and 4.1% vs. 2.8%, OR- 1.5 (95% CI
1.2-1.8), p=0.001, respectively], Conclusion: A hard-to-ventilate
space created by wearing a mask may be the underlying cause of the
observed higher hemoglobin level among pregnant women. This change might
have a biological relation to changes in the rate of obstetrical
outcome. Funding: no external funding. Keywords: COVID-19, preterm
birth, cesarean delivery, composite neonatal outcomes, hemoglobin,
fibrinogen, platelets, mask-wearing.