Pregnant women with COVID-19 have higher rates of premature birth, CDC report says

Pregnant women who have COVID-19 could be at greater risk of giving birth prematurely, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report, released on Wednesday, studied 598 pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19 between March and August. Of the 445 live births, 12.6% were premature births, meaning they were born before 37 weeks. Preterm births occurred in 23.1% of symptomatic women and 8% of asymptomatic women.

The premature birth rate for women with COVID-19 is more than 25% higher than the rate for the general population. In 2018, the premature delivery rate of the general population was 10%, the CDC said.

The risk of death and disability in premature births increases the earlier a baby is born, the CDC said. In 2017, low birth weight and premature births resulted in 17% of infant deaths.

Two newborns in the CDC report died and “were born to symptomatic women who required invasive mechanical ventilation.”

Of the women with COVID-19, 55% were asymptomatic when admitted to the hospital. Among the symptomatic women, 16.2% were admitted to the intensive care unit, 8.5% required mechanical ventilation and two died.

Ten of the women had a miscarriage or stillbirth — but the CDC said it “likely underestimates the percentage of pregnancy losses that occur among women with COVID-19.”

Along with “adverse pregnancy outcomes” like preterm birth, expectant mothers could have a higher risk for severe illness from the virus.

The CDC recommends that pregnant women have a 30-day supply of all necessary medication, attend prenatal appointments and talk to a healthcare provider about how to stay healthy during the pandemic.

Researchers confirmed in July that babies can get the virus while still in the womb, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications, McClatchy News reported. A 23-year-old tested positive for COVID-19, and after doctors performed a cesarean section, they discovered her baby had the virus, too.

But the CDC says COVID-19 infections in newborns are still considered “uncommon.” Most newborns who have the virus “had mild or no symptoms and recovered.”

This story was originally published September 17, 2020 at 8:30 AM with the headline "Pregnant women with COVID-19 have higher rates of premature birth, CDC report says."