Pneumonia and pregnancy outcomes: a nationwide population-based study

OBJECTIVE: Using 2 nationwide population-based datasets, this study aimed to assess the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birthweight (LBW), preterm birth, small for gestational age (SGA), cesarean section (CS), lower Apgar score, and preeclampsia/eclampsia, between women with and without pneumonia. STUDY DESIGN: This study included 1462 women who had been hospitalized with pneumonia during pregnancy and used 7310 matched women without pneumonia as a comparison group. RESULTS: Compared to women without pneumonia, conditional logistic regression analyses showed that the adjusted odds ratios for LBW, preterm birth, SGA, CS, Apgar scores <7 at 5 minutes, and preeclampsia/eclampsia in women with pneumonia were 1.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41–2.12), 1.71 (95% CI, 1.42–2.05), 1.35 (95% CI, 1.17–1.56), 1.77 (95% CI, 1.58–1.98), 3.86 (95% CI, 1.64–9.06), and 3.05 (95% CI, 2.01–4.63), respectively. CONCLUSION: Women with pneumonia during pregnancy had significantly higher risk of LBW, preterm birth, SGA, low Apgar scores infants, CS, and preeclampsia/eclampsia, compared to unaffected women.