COVID-19 during pregnancy increased preterm birth risks by 60%

By Anju T K, Intern Reporter
  • Follow author on
Pregnant-women
Representational Image

A recent study has revealed that people who are infected with coronavirus while pregnant face a 60 percent higher risk of having a very preterm birth.

According to the Daily Mail, the study headed by experts from the University of California-San Francisco found that pregnant women who tested positive for the virus were more likely to deliver their baby at 37 weeks or earlier.

Researchers also discovered that Asian women (240 percent more likely to give birth very preterm) and American Indian women (170 percent more likely) were the most likely to have a premature birth.

Preterm-birth

However, the biological rationale for COVID can cause premature deliveries is unknown. The data came from over 240,000 births between July 2020 and January 2021, according to the study, which was published in The Lancet Regional Health.

As per the report, nearly 9,000 women tested positive for the virus at some time during their pregnancy, with the rest serving as a control group.

Premature birth was also elevated by diabetes and obesity. Premature birth can have a variety of long and short-term consequences for a child, such as cognitive difficulties, cerebral palsy, and underdeveloped organs.

Some had very preterm deliveries, which occur when a baby is born before 32 weeks of pregnancy. According to the findings, the probability of preterm or early term delivery after COVID infection ranged from 10 percent to 40 percent. The team urged pregnant women to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to potentially prevent giving birth prematurely.

Related: UAE’s SBWC empowers business women to tackle post-COVID challenges

YOU MAY LIKE