Pregnancy outcomes in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective chart review and literature review

Abstract

Objective: Pregnant women are at a higher risk for severe 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection compared to non-pregnant women. Because of this, careful monitoring and studies of this population should be carried out. Here we identify the clinical characteristics, neonatal outcomes, and population demographics of COVID-positive pregnant women admitted to the University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas.

Methods: This retrospective study reviewed a cohort of pregnant patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and its affiliated University Medical Center between April 12, 2020, and January 25, 2021

Results: Thirty-six patients met inclusion criteria. The average patient age was 29 ± 4.8 years, and 61.1% of patients identified their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino origin.  The mean length of stay was 3.3 ± 3.6 days, and the remaining number of weeks of pregnancy at delivery was 37.8 ± 2.3 weeks. No deaths occurred in the mothers; three pregnancies did not result in a live birth. Notable findings included an increased rate of pre-term births (18.2%), an increased rate of NICU admissions (16.7%), and an increased rate of gestational diabetes (13.9%) compared to national averages in pregnant women.

Conclusions: Many of our findings confirmed the existing literature concerning pregnancy outcomes among COVID-19-positive pregnant women, including relatively high preterm birth and NICU admission rates. The number of women who identified their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino was high, which may reflect the overall demographics in West Texas. Furthermore, our gestational diabetes rate was also higher than the national average, possibly reflecting the high obesity rates in this area. We recommend further research on the mechanisms of preterm birth in COVID-19 illness and on ways to improve the health and healthcare outcomes in West Texas residents.