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. 2023 Aug 11;3(8):e0002139.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002139. eCollection 2023.

Impact of COVID-19 on feto-maternal and neonatal health in Karachi, Pakistan, A retrospective cohort study

Syeda Mahjabeen Zehra  1 , Sadia Parkar  1 , Zaubina Kazi  1 , Asma Pethani  1 , Ayesha Malik  2 , Adnan Mirza  1 , Falak Abro  1 , Hassan Abdul Jabbar  1 , Ali Faisal Saleem  1
Affiliations

Impact of COVID-19 on feto-maternal and neonatal health in Karachi, Pakistan, A retrospective cohort study

Syeda Mahjabeen Zehra et al. PLOS Glob Public Health. .

Abstract

Scientific literature suggests that pregnant women are at greater risk of acquiring a more severe form of COVID-19 exposing both mother and child to a higher risk of obstetric and neonatal complications. These include increased hospitalization rates, ICU admissions, or ventilatory support among pregnant women when compared to COVID-19 negative pregnant womenA case-control study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan with the objective of evaluating the clinical presentation of COVID-19 in pregnancy and its effect on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Data was retrospectively collected from April 2020 till January 2022 of obstetric patients with COVID-19 positive cases and were compared with COVID-19 negative cases from the same time. A total of 491 women were included in the study, 244 cases and 247 controls. The most common complication amongst cases was gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 59, 24%), followed by gestational hypertension (n = 16, 31.7%), pre-eclampsia (n = 13, 5%) Pre-rupture of membrane (85.7%). Amongst the COVID positive mothers the most common presenting complaints were fever followed by dry cough, headache, and shortness of breath. It was observed that COVID-19 did not result in increased adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes compared to COVID-19 negative mothers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Detail of maternal outcomes.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Neonatal outcomes and NICU Admission compared with COVID positive mothers.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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