A recent study revealed that pregnant people infected with COVID-19 are likely to experience a serious complication or die during pregnancy compared to those who were not infected with the coronavirus.
The study, which was published in JAMA emphasizes the need for people to get COVID-19 vaccination. The results showed that 40% of pregnant people who contracted COVID-19 are more likely to develop serious complications or die during pregnancy compared to pregnant women who did not get the virus.
The study also found out that the severity of COVID-19 symptoms is linked to increased risks in pregnancy.
Complications of a pregnant woman conflicted with COVID-19
The study noted that unvaccinated pregnant people with moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms have greater risks of delivering babies before their terms and intensive care unit admissions in newborns. The study also noted that the births would mostly need a caesarian operation.
On a media briefing on Monday, the research leader, Deseret News reported that the study also noted that mothers who have contracted COVID-19 while pregnant also experience postpartum hemorrhaging or other infections that are not COVID-19 related.
Pregnant women who contracted COVID-19 also experience other life-threatening illnesses such as having high blood pressure. These women also have a high risk of losing the pregnancy, or death of their infant as a newborn.
Previous studies, according to Metz indicate that pregnant women who contracted COVID-19 also revealed to suffer from serious effects such as death or admission to an intensive care unit.
Implications of the study
On a press briefing on Monday, the research lead, Dr. Torri Metz, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Utah and vice-chair of research of obstetrics and gynecology at U. Health said that, this study notes for certain that people should avoid contracting COVID-19 while pregnant, or any time."
The study is significant as it highlights serious outcomes connected to COVID-19 from common complications associated with pregnancy, Metz also added.
According to Forbes, this study highlights COVID's impact in early pregnancy. The study noted that 80% of the infections were during the last trimester of pregnancy. There is still little or limited information on the risks of COVID-19 during early pregnancy.
Also, although the study was conducted before the massive roll-out of vaccines in the US, Forbes reports that the findings highlight the importance of making sure that pregnant individuals get vaccinated. Metz noted that there are also other studies that reveal that vaccination prevents the most severe symptoms of the disease.
Vaccination during pregnancy
Last month, a new study also revealed that pregnant people were more likely to experience severe symptoms of COVID-19, and pregnant women are more likely to lose their babies when unvaccinated, CTV News reported.
The study, which was done in Scotland, showed that 77.4 percent of Scots who got COVID-19 while pregnant were unvaccinated. It also reported that unvaccinated pregnant people had 90.9 % of COVID-19-related hospital admissions, and 98 % involved admission to the intensive care unit. Like Metz's study, pregnant women who contracted COVID-19 while pregnant also had increased cases of stillbirths and newborn deaths.
