The impact of COVID-19 on maternal death and fetal death, a cohort study in Brazil

Abstract

Objective The study aimed to evaluate the risk of maternal death and fetal death among pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study among pregnant women with secondary data from the National Live Births System (Sistema Nacional de Nascidos Vivos), National Mortality System (Sistema Nacional de Mortalidade), and e-SUS Health Surveillance System (Sistema e-SUS Vigila̭ncia em Saúde). Pregnant women confirmed for COVID-19 had positive RT-PCR between March 2020 and May 2021, pregnant women without COVID-19 were those without notification for disease. Maternal death, fetal death, and stillbirth were assessed as primary outcomes. Results We included 68,673 pregnant women not notified as suspected of COVID-19 and 1,386 with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Among pregnant women with COVID-19, 1013 (73.0%) were aged 20 to 34 years, 655 (47.2%) were brown, 907 (65.4%) had ≥ 8 years of education, in the third trimester of pregnancy (41.5%), undergoing cesarean section (64.5%). In adjusted analyses, COVID-19 in pregnancy had a higher risk of maternal death (relative risk [RR] 18.73–95% confidence interval [95%CI] 11.07–31.69), fetal death/stillbirth (RR 1.96–95%CI 1.18–3.25), preterm birth [RR 1.18–95%CI 1.01–1.39], cesarean delivery (RR 1.07–95%CI 1.02–1.11), and cesarean delivery occurring before the onset of labor (RR 1.33–95%CI 1.23–1.44). Conclusion COVID-19 may contribute to unfavorable pregnancy outcomes. Results showed that pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 had a higher risk of maternal death, fetal death/stillbirth, preterm birth, cesarean delivery, and cesarean section occurring before the onset of labor.