Abstract

There are many unknowns for pregnant women during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the effect of this virus on the pregnancy. Clinical experience of pregnancies complicated with infection by other coronaviruses e.g., Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), has led to pregnant woman being considered potentially vulnerable to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pregnancy is characterized by some changes involving both the immune system and the pulmonary physiology, exposing the pregnant woman to a greater susceptibility to viral infections and more serious complications. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy remains to be determined, and a concerted, global effort is required to determine the effects on implantation, fetal growth and development, labor, and neonatal health. Asymptomatic infection presents a further challenge regarding service provision, prevention, and management. Besides the direct impacts of the disease, a plethora of indirect consequences of the pandemic adversely affect maternal health, including reduced access to reproductive health services, increased mental health strain, and increased socioeconomic deprivation. In this review, we explore the current knowledge of COVID-19 in pregnancy and highlight areas for further research to minimize its impact for women and their children.

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The article was added to IASJ on 2021-12-26

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