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Researchers supported by NICHD and NCATS found pregnant women with moderate to severe COVID-19 were more likely to have pregnancy-related complications than pregnant women without COVID-19.
Researchers supported by NICHD and NCATS found pregnant women with moderate to severe COVID-19 were more likely to have pregnancy-related complications than pregnant women without COVID-19.
What you need to know
Pregnant people with COVID-19 are more likely to experience serious health problems — like blood clots or respiratory conditions — than pregnant people without COVID-19. Now, research supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) has found that COVID-19 is associated with a higher risk of pregnancy-related complications.
What did the researchers do?
Researchers studied more than 14,000 women who gave birth from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, in 17 hospitals participating in the NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network’s Gestational Research Assessments for COVID-19 (GRAVID) study.
Of the women in the study, 2,352 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) during pregnancy or within six weeks of giving birth. The researchers compared those women’s pregnancy and postpartum health outcomes with the outcomes of women who had no known SARS-CoV-2 infection.
What did the researchers learn?
Pregnant women who had moderate to severe COVID-19 during their pregnancy were more likely than uninfected pregnant women to die or develop health problems from complications, including postpartum hemorrhage, problems related to high blood pressure (such as eclampsia), and other infections (such as sepsis).
In addition, women who had moderate to severe COVID-19 during their pregnancy were more likely to miscarry, give birth before their due date, require a cesarean birth (C-section), or have a newborn die shortly after birth when compared to uninfected pregnant women.
Notably, mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 was not associated with higher rates of pregnancy complications. Race and ethnicity were also not found to be associated with higher rates of pregnancy complications from COVID-19.
Why is this research important?
The findings from this study underscore the need for pregnant people to take preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2. Several studies have shown that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for pregnant people. By following health and safety guidelines, pregnant people can lower their risk of health problems for themselves and their babies.
Where can I go to learn more?
How COVID-19 Affects Pregnancy
- Should you get the vaccine during pregnancy? Does the vaccine cause infertility? NIH research is helping to answer these questions and more.
NIH-funded study suggests COVID-19 increases risk of pregnancy complications
- A study supported by NICHD and NCATS found that pregnant women with COVID-19 are at greater risk for common pregnancy complications than pregnant women without COVID-19 are.
What are some common complications of pregnancy?
- NICHD explains some of the most common pregnancy complications.
Sources
Metz, T. D., Clifton, R. G., Hughes, B. L., Sandoval, G. J., Grobman, W. A., Saade, G. R., Manuck, T. A., Longo, M., Sowles, A., Clark, K., Simhan, H. N., Rouse, D. J., Mendez-Figueroa, H., Gyamfi-Bannerman, C., Bailit, J. L., Costantine, M. M., Sehdev, H. M., Tita, A., Macones, G. A., & National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network (2022). Association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with serious maternal morbidity and mortality from obstetric complications. JAMA, 327(8), 748–759. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.1190
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