Clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and maternal and neonatal outcomes of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among hospitalized pregnant women: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women represent a potentially high‐risk population in the COVID‐19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To summarize clinical characteristics and outcomes among pregnant women hospitalized with COVID‐19. SEARCH STRATEGY: Relevant databases were searched up until May 29, 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA: Case series/reports of hospitalized pregnant women with laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: PRISMA guidelines were followed. Methodologic quality was assessed via NIH assessment tools. MAIN RESULTS: Overall, 63 observational studies of 637 women (84.6% in third trimester) with laboratory‐confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection were included. Most (76.5%) women experienced mild disease. Maternal fatality, stillbirth, and neonatal fatality rates were 1.6%, 1.4%, and 1.0%, respectively. Older age, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and raised serum D‐dimer and interleukin‐6 were predictive of poor outcomes. Overall, 33.7% of live births were preterm, of which half were iatrogenic among women with mild COVID‐19 and no complications. Most women underwent cesarean despite lacking a clear indication. Eight (2.0%) neonates had positive nasopharyngeal swabs after delivery and developed chest infection within 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced gestation, maternal age, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and a combination of elevated D‐dimer and interleukin‐6 levels are predictive of poor pregnancy outcomes in COVID‐19. The rate of iatrogenic preterm birth and cesarean delivery is high; vertical transmission may be possible but has not been proved.