Doppler ultrasound findings in symptomatic pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the potential impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on maternal and foetal Doppler findings. Doppler ultrasound findings were compared in 40 pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 disease who required hospitalisation (group 1) and 30 healthy pregnant women (group 2). Maternal characteristics and birth histories were recorded. Body mass index, gestational week at birth, type of delivery, oligihydroamnios, pre-term birth (<37 weeks), low birth weight (<10 percentile), perinatal death and f1st and 5th minute Apgar scores were recorded. Birth weights and foetal biophysical profile (BPP) scores in group 1 were significantly lower than those in group 2. There was a statistically significant between-group difference in the umbilical artery pulsatility index (PI), umbilical artery resistive index (RI), middle cerebral artery (MCA) PI, MCA RI, mean uterine artery (UtA) PI, mean UtA RI and cerebroplacental ratio (CPR), the parameters used to evaluate foetal-maternal blood flow. In the pregnant group diagnosed with COVID-19 and hospitalised, all foetal-maternal Doppler indicators of foetal-maternal blood flow were impaired, and birth weights and BPP scores in these patients were statistically significantly lower than those in the healthy controls.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Foetal and maternal vascular malperfusion characterised by decidual arteriopathy have been reported in pathologies of placentas from pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection.What the results of this study add? It was determined that COVID-19 disrupted foetal and maternal blood flow.What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Foetal biometric measurements and foetal Doppler may be useful in the follow-up of perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with COVID-19.

Ultrasound and Doppler findings in pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

OBJECTIVES: To describe and compare ultrasound and Doppler findings in pregnant women who were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with findings in those who were SARS-CoV-2-negative, evaluated during the pandemic period. METHODS: In this retrospective case-control study, we analyzed data from 106 pregnant women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at the time of, or within 1 week of, an ultrasound scan between 1 May and 31 August 2020. Scans were either performed for routine fetal evaluation or indicated due to a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. Forty-nine women were symptomatic and 57 were asymptomatic. For comparison, we analyzed data from 103 pregnant women matched for maternal age, parity, body mass index and gestational age at the time of the ultrasound scan. These control women did not report symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection at the time of the ultrasound scan or at the time of admission for delivery and had a negative SARS-CoV-2 test at admission for delivery. Fetal biometry, fetal anatomy, amniotic fluid volume and Doppler parameters, including umbilical and fetal middle cerebral artery pulsatility indices, cerebroplacental ratio and biophysical profile (BPP), were evaluated as indicated. Biometric and Doppler values were converted to Z-scores for comparison. Our primary outcome, an adverse prenatal composite outcome (APCO) included any one or more of: small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetus, oligohydramnios, abnormal BPP, abnormal Doppler velocimetry and fetal death. Comorbidities, delivery information and neonatal outcome were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Eighty-seven (82.1%) women who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 had a body mass index > 25 kg/m2 . SARS-CoV-2-positive women had a higher prevalence of diabetes (26/106 (24.5%) vs 13/103 (12.6%); P = 0.03), but not of pre-eclampsia (21/106 (19.8%) vs 11/103 (10.7%); P = 0.08), compared with controls. The prevalence of APCO was not significantly different between SARS-CoV-2-positive women (19/106 (17.9%)) and controls (9/103 (8.7%)) (P = 0.06). There were no differences between SARS-CoV-2-positive women and controls in the prevalence of SGA fetuses (12/106 (11.3%) vs 6/103 (5.8%); P = 0.17), fetuses with abnormal Doppler evaluation (8/106 (7.5%) vs 2/103 (1.9%); P = 0.08) and fetuses with abnormal BPP (4/106 (3.8%) vs 0/103 (0%); P = 0.14). There were two fetal deaths in women who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 and these women had a higher rate of preterm delivery ≤ 35 weeks of gestation (22/106 (20.8%) vs 9/103 (8.7%); odds ratio, 2.73 (95% CI, 1.19-6.3); P = 0.01) compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in abnormal fetal ultrasound and Doppler findings observed between pregnant women who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 and controls. However, preterm delivery ≤ 35 weeks was more frequent among SARS-CoV-2-positive women. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Doppler assessment of the fetus in pregnant women recovered from COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the maternal-fetal Doppler patterns in pregnant women recovered from COVID-19. METHODS: This prospective case-control study was conducted in Ankara City Hospital between July 1, 2020 and August 30, 2020. Thirty pregnant women who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and completed the quarantine process were compared with 40 healthy pregnant women in terms of the fetal Doppler parameters. All pregnant women diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were followed up in our clinic and their diagnoses have been confirmed in nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples by quantitative real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Doppler ultrasonographic assessment of the uterine arteries (UtA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) were used in addition to umbilical artery (UA) Doppler between 23 and 40 weeks of gestation. Also, cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) was calculated according to gestational age. RESULTS: The pulsatility and resistance indices of umbilical and UtA showed a significant increase in pregnant women in the study group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that pulsatility and resistance indices of the mean UtA were independently associated with disease (OR > 1000, 95%CI 9.77 to >1000, p = 0.009; OR 0,000 95%CI 0,000-0,944, p = 0,049), respectively. Medical treatment was given to 16/30 (53%) of pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, uterine artery Doppler indices in the third trimester may have clinical value in pregnant women recovered from COVID-19.

Maternal and fetal effects of COVID-19 virus on a complicated triplet pregnancy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the global pandemic that has spread throughout the world, is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Given the limited scientific evidence on the manifestations and potential impact of this virus on pregnancy, we decided to report this case. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 38 year-old Iranian woman with a triplet pregnancy and a history of primary infertility, as well as hypothyroidism and gestational diabetes. She was hospitalized at 29 weeks and 2 days gestational age due to elevated liver enzymes, and finally, based on a probable diagnosis of gestational cholestasis, she was treated with ursodeoxycholic acid. On the first day of hospitalization, sonography was performed, which showed that biophysical scores and amniotic fluid were normal in all three fetuses, with normal Doppler findings in two fetuses and increased umbilical artery resistance (pulsatility index [PI] > 95%) in one fetus. On day 4 of hospitalization, she developed fever, cough and myalgia, and her COVID-19 test was positive. Despite mild maternal symptoms, exacerbated placental insufficiency occurred in two of the fetuses leading to the rapid development of absent umbilical artery end-diastolic flow. Finally, 6 days later, the patient underwent cesarean section due to rapid exacerbation of placental insufficiency and declining biophysical score in two of the fetuses. Nasopharyngeal swab COVID-19 tests were negative for the first and third babies and positive for the second baby. The first and third babies died 3 and 13 days after birth, respectively, due to collapsed white lung and sepsis. The second baby was discharged in good general condition. The mother was discharged 3 days after cesarean section. She had no fever at the time of discharge and was also in good general condition. CONCLUSIONS: This was a complicated triplet pregnancy, in which, after maternal infection with COVID-19, despite mild maternal symptoms, exacerbated placental insufficiency occurred in two of the fetuses, and the third fetus had a positive COVID-19 test after birth. Therefore, in cases of pregnancy with COVID-19 infection, in addition to managing the mother, it seems that physicians would be wise to also give special attention to the possibility of acute placental insufficiency and subsequent fetal hypoxia, and also the probability of vertical transmission.