A pregnant patient with ebola virus disease

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Limited data suggest Ebola virus disease during pregnancy is associated with high maternal and fetal mortality. CASE: A 34-year-old woman, gravida 4 para 3, at 36 weeks of gestation was admitted to an Ebola treatment unit in Sierra Leone with Ebola virus disease confirmed by laboratory testing of maternal blood for Ebola RNA. She complained of headache, cough, and arthralgia for 7 days but was afebrile. Eleven days later, intrauterine fetal death was diagnosed; the following day, maternal blood was negative for Ebola viral RNA. Labor was induced and resulted in the vaginal delivery of a stillborn fetus. The mother recovered. Her vaginal secretions (on the day of induction), a placenta fragment, umbilical cord, and neonatal buccal swabs were positive for Ebola RNA. No exposed health care workers were infected. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates that pregnant women can survive infection with Ebola virus disease and be cared for and delivered without infection of their health care workers.