According to a study, pregnant women infected with Covid are twice as likely to give birth soon.
US scientists tracked 43,000 expectant mothers during the year through March 2021, of whom 1,300 tested positive.
In addition to the increased risk of preterm birth, Covid-infected mothers were at greater risk of sepsis and blood clots.
Experts speculate that Covid infections may worsen underlying conditions such as problems with the uterus and cervix, making preterm birth more likely. They said babies born before their due date are more at risk for mental and heart problems.
The study should be used to encourage expectant mothers and women planning to have children to get vaccinated, the researchers said.
Around half (48%) of pregnant women in the UK were vaccinated when they gave birth in November 2021, the latest available date.
US scientists found that Covid-positive pregnant women were twice as likely to give birth prematurely than those who did not contract the virus (stock image of pregnant woman sting)
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, was done before vaccines were offered to pregnant women in the UK and US.
As is standard practice with most drugs, when they were first released, pregnant women were initially told not to receive Covid vaccines.
The original jab evidence did not include them for ethical reasons, so experts had to wait until more data was collected.
Since then, numerous studies have shown them to be safe and effective within the group, sparking campaigns to encourage expectant mothers to try.
The scientists extracted patient data from healthcare worker Kaiser Permanente. Infections were included only when they were PCR positive.
The results showed that 143 Covid positive women (10%) gave birth before 37 weeks.
In contrast, 3,438 non-Covid mothers (8%) gave birth prematurely.
But after analysis that took into account age, abstinence and body weight, scientists said that Covid-positive women are at a much higher risk of giving birth prematurely.
“These findings add to the growing evidence that having Covid during pregnancy increases the risk of serious complications,” said senior researcher and lead author Assiamira Ferrara.
“Combined with the evidence that Covid vaccines are safe during pregnancy, these findings should help patients understand their risk of perinatal complications and the need for vaccines.”
“This study supports the recommendation for vaccination of pregnant women and those planning to become pregnant.”
Previous research has also suggested that pregnant women have a higher risk of complications if they contract COVID.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh also found in a paper published in January that expectant mothers who contracted COVID within 28 days of their due date were twice as likely to give birth prematurely.
And they were four times more likely to have a stillbirth.
In the document, experts did not speculate as to why expectant mothers who contract COVID at the end of pregnancy are more at risk, but the inherent stress of carrying a baby can weaken the immune system.
Source: Daily Mail
I am Anne Johnson and I work as an author at the Fashion Vibes. My main area of expertise is beauty related news, but I also have experience in covering other types of stories like entertainment, lifestyle, and health topics. With my years of experience in writing for various publications, I have built strong relationships with many industry insiders. My passion for journalism has enabled me to stay on top of the latest trends and changes in the world of beauty.
