Impact of COVID-19 on feto-maternal and neonatal health in Karachi, Pakistan, A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Scientific literature suggests that pregnant women are at greater risk of acquiring a more severe form of COVID-19 exposing both mother and child to a higher risk of obstetric and neonatal complications. These include increased hospitalization rates, ICU admissions, or ventilatory support among pregnant women when compared to COVID-19 negative pregnant womenA case-control study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan with the objective of evaluating the clinical presentation of COVID-19 in pregnancy and its effect on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Data was retrospectively collected from April 2020 till January 2022 of obstetric patients with COVID-19 positive cases and were compared with COVID-19 negative cases from the same time. A total of 491 women were included in the study, 244 cases and 247 controls. The most common complication amongst cases was gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 59, 24%), followed by gestational hypertension (n = 16, 31.7%), pre-eclampsia (n = 13, 5%) Pre-rupture of membrane (85.7%). Amongst the COVID positive mothers the most common presenting complaints were fever followed by dry cough, headache, and shortness of breath. It was observed that COVID-19 did not result in increased adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes compared to COVID-19 negative mothers.