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. 2021 Jul 15;73(Suppl 1):S17-S23.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab432.

Risk Factors for Illness Severity Among Pregnant Women With Confirmed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection-Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network, 22 State, Local, and Territorial Health Departments, 29 March 2020-5 March 2021

Romeo R Galang  1 , Suzanne M Newton  1 , Kate R Woodworth  1 , Isabel Griffin  1 , Titilope Oduyebo  1 , Christina L Sancken  1 , Emily O'Malley Olsen  1 , Kathryn Aveni  2 , Heather Wingate  3 , Hanna Shephard  4 , Chris Fussman  5 , Zahra S Alaali  6 , Kristin Silcox  7 , Samantha Siebman  8 , Umme-Aiman Halai  9 , Camille Delgado Lopez  10 , Mamie Lush  11 , Ayomide Sokale  12 , Jerusha Barton  13 , Ifrah Chaudhary  14 , Paul H Patrick  15 , Levi Schlosser  16 , Bethany Reynolds  17 , Nicole Gaarenstroom  18 , Sarah Chicchelly  19 , Jennifer S Read  20   21 , Leah de Wilde  22 , Deborah Mbotha  23 , Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner  1 , Aron J Hall  1 , Van T Tong  1 , Sascha Ellington  1 , Suzanne M Gilboa  1 ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Response Pregnancy and Infant Linked Outcomes Team
Collaborators, Affiliations

Risk Factors for Illness Severity Among Pregnant Women With Confirmed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection-Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network, 22 State, Local, and Territorial Health Departments, 29 March 2020-5 March 2021

Romeo R Galang et al. Clin Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at increased risk for severe illness compared with nonpregnant women. Data to assess risk factors for illness severity among pregnant women with COVID-19 are limited. This study aimed to determine risk factors associated with COVID-19 illness severity among pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Methods: Pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by molecular testing were reported during 29 March 2020-5 March 2021 through the Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network (SET-NET). Criteria for illness severity (asymptomatic, mild, moderate-to-severe, or critical) were adapted from National Institutes of Health and World Health Organization criteria. Crude and adjusted risk ratios for moderate-to-severe or critical COVID-19 illness were calculated for selected demographic and clinical characteristics.

Results: Among 7950 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection, moderate-to-severe or critical COVID-19 illness was associated with age 25 years and older, healthcare occupation, prepregnancy obesity, chronic lung disease, chronic hypertension, and pregestational diabetes mellitus. Risk of moderate-to-severe or critical illness increased with the number of underlying medical or pregnancy-related conditions.

Conclusions: Older age and having underlying medical conditions were associated with increased risk of moderate-to-severe or critical COVID-19 illness among pregnant women. This information might help pregnant women understand their risk for moderate-to-severe or critical COVID-19 illness and can inform targeted public health messaging.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; illness severity; pregnancy; risk factors.

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