Pregnancy Outcomes in COVID-19: A Prospective Cohort Study in Singapore.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Pregnant women are reported to be at increased risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to underlying immunosuppression during pregnancy. However, the clinical course of COVID-19 in pregnancy and risk of vertical and horizontal transmission remain relatively unknown. We aim to describe and evaluate outcomes in pregnant women with COVID-19 in Singapore.

METHODS:

Prospective observational study of 16 pregnant patients admitted for COVID-19 to 4 tertiary hospitals in Singapore. Outcomes included severe disease, pregnancy loss, and vertical and horizontal transmission.

RESULTS:

Of the 16 patients, 37.5%, 43.8% and 18.7% were infected in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively. Two gravidas aged ≥35 years (12.5%) developed severe pneumonia; one patient (body mass index 32.9kg/m2) required transfer to intensive care. The median duration of acute infection was 19 days; one patient remained reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive >11 weeks from diagnosis. There were no maternal mortalities. Five pregnancies produced term live-births while 2 spontaneous miscarriages occurred at 11 and 23 weeks. RT-PCR of breast milk and maternal and neonatal samples taken at birth were negative; placenta and cord histology showed non-specific inflammation; and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific immunoglobulins were elevated in paired maternal and umbilical cord blood (n=5).

CONCLUSION:

The majority of COVID-19 infected pregnant women had mild disease and only 2 women with risk factors (obesity, older age) had severe infection; this represents a slightly higher incidence than observed in age-matched non-pregnant women. Among the women who delivered, there was no definitive evidence of mother-to-child transmission via breast milk or placenta.

• Authors: Citra Nz Mattar, Shirin Kalimuddin, Sapna P Sadarangani, Shephali Tagore, Serene Thain, Koh Cheng Thoon, Eliane Y Hong, Abhiram Kanneganti, Chee Wai Ku, Grace Mf Chan, Kelvin Zx Lee, Jeannie Jy Yap, Shaun S Tan, Benedict Yan, Barnaby E Young, David C Lye, Danielle E Anderson, Liying Yang, Lin Lin Su, Jyoti Somani, Lay Kok Tan, Mahesh A Choolani, Jerry Ky Chan
• Journal: Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore (Ann Acad Med Singap) Vol. 49 Issue 11 Pg. 857-869 (11 2020) ISSN: 0304-4602 [Print] Singapore
• PMID: 33381779 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Observational Study)

Chemical References

• RNA, Viral

Topics

• Abortion, Spontaneous (epidemiology)
• Adult
• COVID-19 (epidemiology, physiopathology, transmission)
• COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing
• COVID-19 Serological Testing
• Cohort Studies
• Disease Transmission, Infectious (statistics & numerical data)
• Female
• Fetal Blood (immunology)
• Humans
• Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical (statistics & numerical data)
• Live Birth (epidemiology)
• Maternal Age
• Milk, Human (chemistry, virology)
• Obesity, Maternal (epidemiology)
• Placenta (pathology)
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Complications, Infectious (epidemiology, physiopathology)
• Pregnancy Outcome (epidemiology)
• Pregnancy Trimester, First
• Pregnancy Trimester, Second
• Prospective Studies
• RNA, Viral (analysis)
• Risk Factors
• SARS-CoV-2
• Severity of Illness Index
• Singapore (epidemiology)
• Umbilical Cord (pathology)
• Young Adult