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Objective: To report the maternal death due to COVID-19. Method(s): A total of 14 maternal deaths due to severe and critical COVID-19 who were referred to the obstetric department of Nekouie-Forghani-Hedayati Hospital, Qom, Iran from December 2019 to May 2022 were collected. The clinical manifestations and maternal and perinatal outcomes were analyzed. Result(s): Dexamethasone was used in 7 cases, while remdesivir was used in 5 cases. Acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ failure, and sepsis were the main cause of mother death. The pregnancy in 8 cases were terminated by caesarean and only one neonatal death was reported from a mother at 13th week of gestational age, while all other fetus delivered were healthy and alive. Conclusion(s): COVID-19 in pregnancy is an emergency. Critical appraisal is needed to detect the other comorbidities and positive PCR test by throat swap should be performed as soon as possible. Copyright ©2022 Journal of Acute Disease Produced by Wolters Kluwer-Medknow.
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Objective: To describe histopathologic findings in the placentas in women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during pregnancy. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 38 pregnant women with COVID-19 and undergoing delivery between March 2020 and January 2022, were included. The patients had positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the placentas after delivery were sent for histopathologic evaluation based on the Amsterdam Placental Workshop Group Consensus Statement and assessed by two pathologists. Results: Our results showed that maternal vascular malperfusion was the most common and was present in 17 cases (44.7%). These features included accelerated villous maturation (36.8%) distal villous hypoplasia (5.3%), placental infarction (5.3%) and intervillous fibrin deposition (10.5%). Other pathologic findings included focal calcification (10.5%), intravillous congestion and hemorrhage (10.5%), sub-chorionic hemorrhage (5.3%), acute villitis, chronic histiocytic intervillositis and delayed villous maturation each in one case (2.6%). Twelve out of 38 cases showed no significant pathologic changes. Fetal outcomes included neonatal intensive care unit admission rate of 13.2%, dyspnea 31.6%, newborn's anosmia 7.9%, intrauterine fetal demise 2.6%, asphyxia 2.6% and neonate COVID infection 5.3%. Conclusions: Microvasculopathy, as a sign of maternal vascular malperfusion, is a common finding in placentas from SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women in the present study. Further studies with larger sample sizes and comparative studies between COVID-19 positive and negative, as well as information from patient follow-up are suggested.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: One of the unique challenges for obstetricians in pregnancy is cardiovascular changes. This study aimed to evaluate electrocardiographic (ECG) changes in mothers with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: In a retrospective study, 89 pregnant women with positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for COVID-19, between 19 and 44 years old, were selected for the study, and 12 lead ECGs were extracted and recorded from the medical documents for all cases and all parameters analyzed. Results: Of the 89 patients that met inclusion criteria, only eight patients were admitted to intensive care unit. Of all, 64 cases (71.9%) had normal ECG, three patients showed atrioventricular (AV) block (3.4%), and three patients had first-degree AV block type (PR interval > 200 ms). The mean QTC interval was 428.6 & PLUSMN;37.4 ms and 15 (17%) patients had long QTC intervals (QTC & GE;460 ms). There was a significant relationship between antivirus treatment (P = 0.027), as well as hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with PR interval (P = 0.002). A significant relationship was found between corticosteroids with QTC (P = 0.019) and antibiotics with QTC (P = 0.018). Conclusion: A significant association between corticosteroids usage and QTC interval as well as antiviral and HCQ treatment with PR interval. These changes during pregnancy and COVID-19 should be interpreted with caution by physicians. Understanding changes in electrocardiography can help in better and early diagnosis and management of pregnant mothers to prevent adverse outcomes.