Pregnancy with COVID-19: Management considerations for care of severe and critically ill cases

Am J Reprod Immunol. 2020 Nov;84(5):e13299. doi: 10.1111/aji.13299. Epub 2020 Jul 20.

Abstract

Pregnant women are a potentially highly vulnerable population due to anatomical, physiological, and immunological changes under the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues related to pregnancy with COVID-19 attracted widespread attention from researchers. A large number of articles were published aiming to elaborate clinical characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women infected with COVID-19, in order to provide evidence for management. The existing data suggest that the overall prognosis of pregnancy with COVID-19 is promising when compared with that of other previous coronaviruses. There is still maternal morbidity and mortality related to COVID-19 reported. However, the optimal management of severe and critically ill cases of COVID-19-infected pregnancy is poorly clarified. The possibility of postpartum exacerbation in pregnancy with COVID-19 is also worthy of attention for obstetricians. This review makes further elaboration of the above issues.

Keywords: COVID-19; Critically ill; Postpartum exacerbation; Pregnancy; Severe.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Critical Illness
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / immunology*
  • Pandemics
  • Postpartum Period
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / immunology*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology
  • Pregnancy*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / physiology*
  • Symptom Flare Up