Increased risk of early-onset preeclampsia in pregnant women with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate incidence, risk of early and late-onset preeclampsia (PE) and understand their relationship with severity of COVID-19. METHODS: Pregnant women with COVID-19 (n = 1929) were enrolled from 1 April 2020 to 24 February 2022. Primary outcome measure was incidence and risk of early onset PE in women with COVID-19. RESULTS: The incidence of early and late-onset PE was 11.4% and 5.6%. Moderate to severe COVID-19 was associated with eight times higher risk of early onset PE [aOR = 8.13 (1.56-42.46), p = 0.0129] compared to asymptomatic group. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of early onset PE was higher in pregnant women with symptomatic COVID-19 as compared to asymptomatic women.

Outcomes in neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 during the second wave in India.

COVID-19 pandemic has affected all age groups globally including pregnant women and their neonates. The aim of the study was to understand outcomes in neonates of mothers with COVID-19 during the first and second waves of COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective analysis of 2524 neonates born to SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers was conducted during the first wave (n = 1782) and second wave (n = 742) of the COVID-19 pandemic at five study sites of the PregCovid registry in Maharashtra, India. A significant difference was noted in preterm birth, which was higher in the second wave (15.0%, 111/742) compared to the first wave (7.8%, 139/1782) (P < 0.001). The proportion of neonates requiring NICU admission was significantly higher in the second wave (19.0%, 141/742) as compared to that in the first wave (14.8%, 264/1782) (P < 0.05). On comparing regional differences, significantly higher neonatal complications were reported from Mumbai metropolitan region (P < 0.05). During the second wave of COVID-19, birth asphyxia and prematurity were 3.8- and 2.1-fold higher respectively (P < 0.001). Neonatal resuscitation at birth was significantly higher in second wave (3.4%, 25/742 vs 1.8%, 32/1782) (P < 0.05). The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in neonates was comparable (4.2% vs 4.6%) with no significant difference between the two waves. CONCLUSION: Higher incidence of adverse outcomes in neonates born to SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers in the second wave of COVID-19 as compared to the first wave. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PregCovid study is registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2020/05/025423, Registered on 28/05/2020). WHAT IS KNOWN: • The second wave of COVID-19 was more lethal to pregnant women than the first wave. Newborns are at risk of developing complications. WHAT IS NEW: • Birth asphyxia, prematurity, and neonatal resuscitation at birth were significantly higher in the second wave as compared to those in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

Clinical presentation, pregnancy complications, and outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 during the Omicron-dominant third wave in Mumbai, India.

OBJECTIVE: To study clinical presentation, disease severity, pregnancy complications, and maternal outcomes in women affected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the third wave compared with the first and second waves of COVID-19. METHODS: A retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted among 2058 pregnant and postpartum women with COVID-19 admitted during three wave periods at a tertiary care COVID-19-dedicated hospital. RESULTS: The number of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) -infected pregnant and postpartum women with symptoms of COVID-19 was four times higher during the third wave compared with the first (odds ratio [OR] 4.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.5-6.0, P < 0.001). There was a significantly lower proportion of pregnant and postpartum women with moderate to severe COVID-19 during the third wave (0.6%, 2/318) compared with those during the first wave (2.4%, 27/1143, P < 0.001) and second wave (14.4%, 86/597, P < 0.001). The intensive care/high dependency unit admissions during the third wave were significantly lower (2.5%, 8/318) than during the second wave (14.7%, 88/597; OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.3, P < 0.001) but similar to the first wave (2.4%, 27/1143). CONCLUSIONS: Decreased severity of COVID-19, reduced maternal mortality, and morbidity were reported in the third wave compared with the first wave and second wave of COVID-19 in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, India. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (Registration no: CTRI/2020/05/025423).

Increased spontaneous preterm births during the second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in India.

OBJECTIVE: To compare spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) and iatrogenic preterm birth (IPTB) rates during both waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the PregCovid registry of pregnant women with COVID-19 was performed at a dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Mumbai, India. The data of 1630 women were analyzed for this study between April 4, 2020 and July 4, 2021. Prepandemic data were analyzed and compared with pandemic data. Main outcome measure was spontaneous preterm birth rate. RESULTS: Preterm deliveries were higher during the second wave (46/329; 14%) compared with the first wave (82/807; 10.2%) of the COVID-19 pandemic (P = 0.065). Higher SPTBs were reported during the second wave than the first wave (12.5% versus 8.3%) (P = 0.03) as well as the prepandemic period (12.5% versus 10.5%) (P = 0.286). IPTBs were significantly lower in the pandemic period than in the prepandemic period (1.8 versus 3.3) (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: In Mumbai, India, we found an unusual change in SPTBs during the 6 months of the second wave of COVID-19 compared with the previous 10 months of the first wave of pandemic and 1 year of prepandemic.

Protocol for a prospective, hospital-based registry of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection in India: PregCovid Registry study.

INTRODUCTION: Pregnant women are at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 due to several factors and therefore require special attention. However, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on pregnant women and their newborns remain uncharted. The PregCovid registry aims to document the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnant, postpartum women and their newborns. The aim of the registry is also to determine mother-to-child transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in India. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: PregCovid is a hospital-based registry for capturing information of pregnant, postpartum women with COVID-19 and their newborns in India. Medical case records of pregnant and postpartum women with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 will be captured in real-time using an online electronic patient record software. The data analysis will be carried out for symptoms, the severity of COVID-19, pregnancy complications, maternal morbidity and mortality, neonatal complications, mother-to-child transmission, etc. Data analysis will be carried out for different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic for rapid response and developing strategies well in advance to manage pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2. The evidence generated from the registry will be regularly shared with the appropriate authorities for policy decisions. Thus, the registry data may be useful for planning the strategies for better management of pregnant women with COVID-19. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the Institutional Ethics Committees of all the participating study sites under the Medical Education and Drugs Department, Government of Maharashtra, Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai and ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health, Mumbai, India. The results from this study will be disseminated with local, state, and national health authorities, collaborators and the general population on the study website (https://pregcovid.com) as well as dissemination through scientific meetings and publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CTRI/2020/05/025423.

Clinical characteristics, outcomes, & mortality in pregnant women with COVID-19 in Maharashtra, India: Results from PregCovid registry.

Background & objectives: The PregCovid registry was established to document the clinical presentations, pregnancy outcomes and mortality of pregnant and post-partum women with COVID-19. Methods: The PregCovid registry prospectively collects information in near-real time on pregnant and post-partum women with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 from 19 medical colleges across the State of Maharashtra, India. Data of 4203 pregnant women collected during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-January 2021) was analyzed. Results: There were 3213 live births, 77 miscarriages and 834 undelivered pregnancies. The proportion of pregnancy/foetal loss including stillbirths was six per cent. Five hundred and thirty-four women (13%) were symptomatic, of which 382 (72%) had mild, 112 (21%) had moderate, and 40 (7.5%) had severe disease. The most common complication was preterm delivery (528, 16.3%) and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (328, 10.1%). A total of 158 (3.8%) pregnant and post-partum women required intensive care, of which 152 (96%) were due to COVID-19 related complications. The overall case fatality rate (CFR) in pregnant and post-partum women with COVID-19 was 0.8 per cent (34/4203). Higher CFR was observed in Pune (9/853, 1.1%), Marathwada (4/351, 1.1%) regions as compared to Vidarbha (9/1155, 0.8%), Mumbai Metropolitan (11/1684, 0.7%), and Khandesh (1/160, 0.6%) regions. Comorbidities of anaemia, tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus were associated with maternal deaths. Interpretation & conclusions: The study demonstrates the adverse outcomes including severe COVID-19 disease, pregnancy loss and maternal death in women with COVID-19 in Maharashtra, India.

Differential impact of COVID-19 in pregnant women from high-income countries and low- to middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 has infected a large number of pregnant women. OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical, perinatal outcomes of women with COVID-19 from high-income countries (HICs) and low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). SEARCH STRATEGY: Online databases were searched. SELECTION CRITERIA: Original studies on pregnant women with COVID-19 were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Information on clinical presentation, co-morbidities, pregnancy outcomes, neonatal outcomes, and SARS-CoV-2 infection in neonates was extracted. MAIN RESULTS: The pooled estimate of SARS-CoV-2 positive neonates is 3.7%. Symptomatic presentations are less common in LMICs compared to HICs (odds ratio [OR] 0.38). Diabetes (OR 0.5), hypertension (OR 0.5), and asthma (OR 0.14) are commonly reported from HICs; hypothyroidism (OR 2.2), anemia (OR 3.2), and co-infections (OR 6.0) are commonly reported in LMICs. The overall risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes is higher in LMICs compared to HICs (OR 2.4). Abortion (OR 6.2), stillbirths (OR 2.0), and maternal death (OR 7.8) are more common in LMICs. Preterm births and premature rupture of membranes are comparable in both groups. Neonatal deaths (OR 3.7), pneumonia (OR 7.5), and neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 1.8) are commonly reported in LMICs. CONCLUSIONS: In LMICs, pregnant women and neonates are more vulnerable to adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. PROSPERO registration no: CRD42020198743.

Clinical Characteristics, Management, and Short-Term Outcome of Neonates Born to Mothers with COVID-19 in a Tertiary Care Hospital in India.

INTRODUCTION: We describe the clinical characteristics, management, and short-term outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, India. METHODS: The study is a retrospective analysis of 524 neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 admitted from 14th April 2020 to 31st July 2020. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in 6.3% of the newborns of the mothers with COVID-19. No significant differences were observed between maturity at gestation, birth weight and sex of SARS-CoV-2 infected and noninfected newborns. The risk of sepsis was 4.09 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.28-13.00] fold higher in the neonates with SARS-CoV-2 as compared to the noninfected group (p = 0.031). Poor feeding was significantly more common among SARS-CoV-2 infected neonates (12.1%) as compared to the noninfected neonates (2.7%) (p = 0.017). There was a total of 13 neonatal deaths, of which 3 deaths occurred in SARS-CoV-2 infected neonates (9%) while 10 (2.04%) in the SAR-CoV-2 negative group. The risk of neonatal death was higher in SARS-CoV-2 infected newborns [odds ratio (OR) 4.8; 95% CI 1.25-18.36]. CONCLUSION: Neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection is observed in almost 6% of neonates born to mothers with perinatal COVID-19. There is a higher risk of adverse outcomes such as neonatal sepsis and death in the SARS-CoV-2 infected as compared to the noninfected neonates.

The current pandemic of COVID-19 has affected all the countries globally. However, the adverse impact of the pandemic is more seen in the low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Although there is evidence on the adverse impact of the SARS-CoV-2 on the health of mothers and neonates, the evidence is mainly from high-income countries. For reducing the mortality and morbidity due to COVID-19 in LMICs, there is a need to generate evidence from the LMICs. The present study is a part of the National Registry of pregnant women with COVID-19 in India (PregCovid registry). Our study demonstrates a higher risk of adverse outcomes such as neonatal sepsis and death in the SARS-CoV-2 infected as compared to the noninfected neonates. The study also showed the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 6.3% of neonates born to mothers with COVID-19.

Co-infection of malaria and early clearance of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at higher risk of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Information regarding co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with vector-borne diseases (malaria and dengue) is crucial especially for the countries wherein malaria and dengue are endemic. The objective was to study the prevalence, demographic, clinical presentations among HCWs with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to compare the viral clearance in HCWs with COVID-19 and co-infection of malaria and dengue. This retrospective study was conducted at a dedicated COVID-19 hospital, BYL Nair Charitable Hospital (NH), Mumbai, India April 6th-October 31st 2020. The SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs was confirmed by reverse transcription-plymerase chain reaction. Out of 491 HCWs infected with SARS-CoV-2, analysis of viral clearance was carried out in 467 HCWs over seven month periods, The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs was 13% (491 out of 3711). Out of the HCWs with COVID-19, prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was higher among security guards (25%) with 1% mortality. The co-infection of malaria or dengue was reported in 31 HCWs (6.3%). The mean duration of virus clearance was longer (12 days) in symptomatic HCWs as compared to asymptomatic (8 days, p < .005). The recovery of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs was faster (mean 8 days) with co-infection of malaria than without malaria (p < .005). We recommend universal testing of HCWs, to optimize staffing levels during the current pandemic as HCWs are the most precious resource. There is a need to effectively implement standard protocols for prevention of vector-borne diseases, especially in the hospital settings.

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on multiple gestation pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical presentations, pregnancy complications, and maternal and neonatal outcomes among women with multiple gestation pregnancy (MGP) and confirmed SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection and to compare the data with a pre-pandemic period. METHODS: A retrospective study at a dedicated COVID-19 Hospital in Mumbai, India. Data were obtained from the PregCovid Registry of pregnant and postpartum women with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from April to September, 2020. Data were also compared with a cohort of women with MGP attending the hospital pre-pandemic (n = 63). RESULTS: Data from 879 women (singleton pregnancy, n = 859; MGP, n = 20) with COVID-19 were assessed. The twinning rate was 34.2 per 1000 births. As compared with singleton pregnancies, a higher proportion of women with MGP and Covid-19 delivered preterm (P = 0.001). Spontaneous abortions were also higher in the MGP group than in the singleton group (P = 0.055). The incidence of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia was higher in the COVID-19 MGP group than in both the COVID-19 singleton (41.6% vs. 7.9%) and pre-pandemic MGP (50.0% vs. 12.7%) groups. CONCLUSION: There was a higher risk of pre-eclampsia among women with MGP and COVID-19. Women with MGP and COVID-19 infection should receive special attention with a multidisciplinary approach to both maternal and neonatal care during the pandemic.