ABSTRACT
Background: Pregnancy and childbirth do not increase the risk of COVID-19 infection, but the clinical complications and worsening are more severe than in non-pregnant women. Objective(s): The aim of this study was to determine the clinical epidemiology of mothers with COVID-19 hospitalized in Ardabil province. Method(s): In this cross-sectional descriptive study, the medical records of 20193 women of childbearing age from March 2020 to Au-gust 20 were reviewed. Gestational age, cause of hospitalization, the trend of disease and pregnancy, and possible and non-obstetric complications were evaluated. Data were analyzed by using statistical tests in SPSS version 21. Result(s): In this study, 9942 childbirths were performed, of which 5965 cesarean sections, 3977 normal deliveries, 6990 preterm de-liveries, and 72 women had stillbirths. Also, 73 (0.73%) pregnant women had early symptoms of COVID-19. The highest age range was 25-30 years, mostly in the first pregnancy (41.9%) and the third trimester of pregnancy (61.6%) and with symptoms of persistent dry cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle pain, chills, decreased arterial oxygen saturation and they were dizzy. Among all infected mothers, 20.5% had a preterm delivery, and 8.2% had a stillbirth. 0.36% of mothers with symptoms and 0.46% of mothers were PCR positive Conclusion(s): Pregnant women do not show clinical periods, and the result is comparable to non-pregnant women of childbearing age when infected with SARS-CoV-2. 0.3% of pregnant mothers were infected, which is not a high rate. Complications of pregnancy, such as preterm delivery and IUFD, are more common in involved pregnant women. Copyright © 2022, Author(s).