Symptomatic female coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients in the third trimester of their pregnancy showed an increased risk for adverse outcomes, including neonatal, according to a study. The findings of the study, published in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, suggest that symptomatic parturients in the third trimester had higher rates of gestational diabetes and lower white blood cell counts.

The researchers assessed 2,471 women in the third trimester of their pregnancy, of which 2,299 were Covid-19 negative while 172 women had confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 during the study period. Among the 172 Covid-19 patients, 116 were asymptomatic while 56 were either diagnosed after arrival in hospital with symptoms or arrived after having been recently diagnosed.

The study, however, also showed that there was no significant increase in cesarean delivery in those who were Covid-19 positive. The incidence of preterm deliveries was not significantly different among the three groups, according to the authors.

Of the 172 women with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 who were monitored at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Israel, only one parturient needed mechanical ventilation, while there were no maternal deaths in this group.

Though they were at increased risk of adverse outcomes, none of the cases resulted in severe neonatal asphyxia or neonatal death. Overall maternal adverse outcomes were “not significantly different between the three groups.”

Dr Elior Eliasi, the lead author of the study, said the results show that Covid-19 in the third trimester of pregnancy “has clinical implications, albeit at lower rates than expected once asymptomatic patients are taken into account.”

“However, There were significant differences between the Covid-19-positive and healthy controls included higher rates of GDM (gestational diabetes), low lymphocyte counts (white blood cell count) which were significantly lower, postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding during birth), and neonatal respiratory complications,” Dr Eliasi said, stressing the importance of vaccinating all pregnant women.

(With ANI inputs)