Clinical Characteristics of Covid-19 in Pregnancy and Newborn: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Author(s): Mohammad Ayman Alkhateeb*, Fouad AbouNahia, Dina Abushanab, Ahmad Albaridi, Mohammad Adnan Mahmah, Liliana Llerena Dominques, Mai AL Qubaisi

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of pregnant women infected with COVID-19, 4 weeks before delivery and their neonates, and to investigate the possibility of vertical transmission during pregnancy.

Design and Methods: A data review of all pregnant women who were positive for COVID-19, 4 weeks before delivery from 1st of April 2020 till 31st of March 2021 and their newborns. RtPCR tests were done for all pregnant women when they were admitted for delivery regardless if they had symptoms or not. RtPCR tests were done for the newborns whom delivered to positive mothers. 300 women and their newborns were included.

Results: 300 women were positive for COVID-19, 59.67% (179/300) were asymptomatic and 40.33% (121/300) were symptomatic. From symptomatic patients 90.09% (109/121) had mild symptoms and 9.91% (12/121) developed severe respiratory symptoms. Mortality rate was zero.

All mothers delivered live babies and no intrauterine fetal death, 55% (165/300) delivered by vaginal delivery while 45% (135/300) delivered by cesarean section. 84.67% (254/300) were term and 15.33% (46/300) were preterm. 46.34% (139/300) were separated from mother and 53.66% (161/300) were kept with mother in same room. 87.4% (262/300) of newborn were asymptomatic and 12.6% (38/300) were symptomatic. 295 newborn were negative (98.33%), 3 were inconclusive (1%) and 2 were positive (0.67%).

Conclusion: There was increase in the rate of premature deliveries. There is low risk of transmission of COVID-19 to newborn babies. None of the neonates developed sign and symptoms during rooming in, Covid 19 can cause serious complication during pregnancy.