Fetal pulmonary artery Doppler evaluation in pregnant women after recovery from COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate fetal lung development using pulmonary artery Doppler in pregnant women who had recovered from COVID-19. Methods: The prospective case–control study included 41 pregnant women who had recovered from COVID-19 and 43 healthy pregnant women (control group). All the women in the study group had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and had completed a quarantine period. Results: The demographic data of patients were similar in the groups (P > 0.05). Main pulmonary artery peak systolic velocity was higher and pulsatility indices were lower in pregnant women who recovered from COVID-19 compared to the controls (P < 0.001, P = 0.001). Acceleration time, ejection time, and acceleration/ejection time ratio (PATET) of the fetal MPA Doppler were significantly decreased in pregnant women who recovered from COVID-19 (P < 0.001, P = 0.036, and P = 0.002, respectively). The patients who had recovered from COVID-19 were divided into two groups: those treated with expectant management and those treated in hospital. The pulmonary artery acceleration time and PATET ratio were significantly lower in the group treated in the hospital (P = 0.023 and P = 0.045, respectively). Conclusion: Detailed Doppler evaluations of the pulmonary artery may help in evaluating the fetal adverse effects of COVID-19 disease.