Page 21 - REAL ISSUES FOR COVID-19 VACCINE IMMUNIZATION & Pregnancy, Breastfeeding Mothers

Based on this meta-analysis, if you are pregnant, the maternal outcomes are poorer. The
maternal mortalities increased 2.85%, if the mother has got COVID-19 infection. The ICU
admissions are increased. The preterm births before 37 weeks are increased. The caesarean
section rates are increased. Similarly, COVID-19 infection is associated with poorer fetal
outcomes, namely the increased incidence of still births, increased neonatal deaths, increased
admissions to ICU, increased incidence of abnormal Apgar scores at five minutes, and the
increased incidence of fetal distresses. Ladies and gentlemen, COVID-19 has significant
implications in pregnancy.

Figure 7: Outcomes from the Meta-Analysis (Allotey J, Stallings E, Bonet M, Yap M,
Chatterjee S, Kew T et al. Clinical manifestations, risk factors, and maternal and perinatal
outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 in pregnancy: living systematic review and
meta-analysis BMJ 2020; 370 :m3320 doi:10.1136/bmj.m3320)

A similar paper, “Risk factors for illness severity among pregnant women with confirmed
SARS-CoV-2 infection – Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network,
20 state, local, and territorial health departments, March 29, 2020 - January 8, 2021” by
Galang RR et al. published a few weeks ago, from the US cohort which looked into threats to
mothers and babies in 20 states, local and territorial health departments from March 2020 to
January 2021. The findings were similar. If a mother was to have COVID-19 in pregnancy,
the mortalities increased, the need for ICU admissions were increased, and the risk factors
were the same. The common risk factors were elderly, from low socioeconomic group and
obese.