Impact of the Coronavirus Infection in Pregnancy: A Preliminary Study of 141 Patients

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the most challenging health crisis that we are facing today. Against the backdrop of this pandemic, it becomes imperative to study the effects of this infection on pregnancy and its outcome. Hence, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 infection on the maternal morbidity and mortality, the course of labour as well as the neonatal outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 977 pregnant women were included in the study, from 1st April to 15th May 2020 at a tertiary care hospital. There were 141 women who tested COVID positive and remaining 836 patients were included in the COVID negative group. Findings were compared in both the groups. RESULTS: The incidence of COVID positive pregnant women was found to be 14.43%. More patients delivered by LSCS in the COVID positive and the COVID negative group (50%) as compared to COVID negative group (47%), (p > 0.05). Low APGAR score (0-3) was observed in 2(1.52%) neonates of COVID positive mothers and in 15 (1.91%) neonates of COVID negative mothers. Overall most of the babies were healthy. Out of all babies tested, 3 were detected positive initially which were retested on day 5 and were found to be negative. CONCLUSION: There is no significant effect of COVID infection on maternal and foetal outcome in pregnancy and there is no evidence of vertical transmission of the COVID-19 infection but long-term follow-up of these babies is recommended.