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. 2022 Nov 26;19(23):15735.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph192315735.

Post-Viral Fatigue Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection during Pregnancy: A Longitudinal Comparative Study

Ana Maria da Silva Sousa Oliveira  1 , Mariana Azevedo Carvalho  1 , Luis Nacul  2   3 , Fábio Roberto Cabar  1 , Amanda Wictky Fabri  1 , Stela Verzinhasse Peres  1 , Tatiana Assuncao Zaccara  1 , Shennae O'Boyle  4 , Neal Alexander  5 , Nilton Hideto Takiuti  1 , Philippe Mayaud  3 , Maria de Lourdes Brizot  1 , Rossana Pulcineli Vieira Francisco  1   6
Affiliations

Post-Viral Fatigue Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection during Pregnancy: A Longitudinal Comparative Study

Ana Maria da Silva Sousa Oliveira et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Studies reported post-COVID-19 fatigue in the general population, but not among pregnant women. Our objectives were to determine prevalence, duration, and risk factors of post-viral fatigue among pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2. This study involved 588 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy or delivery in Brazil. Three groups were investigated: G1 (n = 259, symptomatic infection during pregnancy); G2 (n = 131, positive serology at delivery); G3 (n = 198, negative serology at delivery). We applied questionnaires investigating fatigue at determined timepoints after infection for G1, and after delivery for all groups; fatigue prevalence was then determined. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI of the risk of remaining with fatigue in G1. Overall fatigue prevalence in G1 at six weeks, three months and six months were 40.6%, 33.6%, and 27.8%, respectively. Cumulative risk of remaining with fatigue increased over time, with HR of 1.69 (95% CI: 0.89-3.20) and 2.43 (95% CI: 1.49-3.95) for women with moderate and severe symptoms, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed cough and myalgia as independent risk factors in G1. Fatigue prevalence was significantly higher in G1 compared to G2 and G3. Post-viral fatigue prevalence is higher in women infected during pregnancy; fatigue's risk and duration increased with the severity of infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS CoV-2; post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC); post-viral fatigue; pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Details on each group, its size, and times of questionnaire application.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cumulative risk of remaining with fatigue in women with COVID-19 identified during pregnancy (G1) according to the severity of disease (mild, moderate, and severe).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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