Impact of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy and neonates: A case control study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women who were infected by COVID-19 during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A Case control retrospective study was conducted in an Obstetrical Department of a west Parisian area during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were compared between a group of women infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus during pregnancy (March 2020- February 2021) and a control group of women delivering before pandemic. They were matched according to age and parity. Subgroups of SARS-CoV-2 infection occurring before vs after 37 weeks of gestations and symptomatic vs asymptomatic patients were analyzed. The rate of preterm birth, preeclampsia, placental abruption and stillbirth were compared between the year of pandemic and the year before for all deliveries. RESULTS: Maternal and neonatal outcomes were similar. Among the 86 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection, five were admitted to Hospital (5.8%). One was transferred in intensive care unit for respiratory distress (1.2%). All patients had favorable outcomes. Patients with symptoms had more associated comorbidities (34.5%, n = 20/58, with symptoms, vs 9,1%, n = 2/22, without symptoms, p = 0.023). No differences in preeclampsia, placenta abruption and stillbirth, but less preterm births (4.9%, n = 160/3383 vs 6.2%, n = 209/3235, p = 0.04) were observed between the year of pandemic and the year before. CONCLUSION: There were few complications associated with COVID-19 infection among pregnant patients and their neonates. A low rate of associated comorbidities, a good access to healthcare services in this area and the small sample size of patients could explain these results.

Pregnancy at 40 years Old and Above: Obstetrical, Fetal, and Neonatal Outcomes. Is Age an Independent Risk Factor for Those Complications?

Objectives: Maternal age has been increasing for several decades with many of these late pregnancies between 40 and 45 years old. The main objective of this study is to assess whether maternal age is an independent factor of obstetric, fetal, and neonatal complications. Patients and methods: A monocentric, French study "exposed-unexposed" was conducted during 11 years in a maternity level IIB. Maternal and perinatal outcomes were studied using univariates and multivariate analysis. We compared women aged 40 and above in a 1:1 ratio with women of 25-35 years old. Results: One thousand nine hundred eighty-two women were 40 or older (mean age: 41.9) on the day of their delivery and compared to other 1,982 women who were aged between 25 and 35 years old (mean age: 30.7) Preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, were significantly higher in the study group (4.6 vs. 1.5% and 14.5 vs. 6.9%, respectively, p < 0.001). We found also a significant difference for gestational hypertension (3.1 vs. 1.1% p < 0.001), preterm birth (10.4 vs. 6.5% p < 0.001), cesarean (16.6 vs. 5.4% for scheduled cesarean, and 50.4 vs. 13.9% for emergency cesarean, p < 0.001) and fetal death in utero (2.1 vs. 0.5% in the study group, p < 0.001). These results were also significantly different in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: A pregnancy after 40 years old is worth considering today as far as the risk factors are controlled and understand by the patient and the obstetrician. However, they have a significantly higher risks of cesarean, preterm delivery, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and fetal death in utero (FDIU). It is therefore the responsibility of the obstetrician to inform correctly these women in a detailed way, to reassure them and to adapt the monitoring of their pregnancy accordingly.

Short-term outcome of patients with preeclampsia.

INTRODUCTION: Preeclampsia constitutes a cause of increased mortality in mothers and fetuses. Screening for promoting factors is essential for adequate prevention in the event of any subsequent pregnancy, and for the adequate follow-up of concerned patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the short-term outcome of patients with preeclampsia and to identify possible new factors predisposing them to the disease. METHODS: One hundred fifty-five patients having experienced preeclampsia between 2005 and 2010 from the Gynecology and Obstetrics Department of the Foch Hospital (Suresnes, France) were included in the study. All patients had undergone close clinical and standard biological follow-up immediately postpartum and then 3 months later with a reference practitioner. In severe cases, further investigation was carried out by full etiological examination with an assessment of both autoimmune and thrombophilic status. RESULTS: Obesity and gestational diabetes were observed to be major risk factors for preeclampsia, which were found in 46% and 15% of the cases, respectively. The etiological assessment showed abnormalities in 11% of the patients. Impaired thrombophilia was found in 3% of the patients, impaired autoimmune status in 4%, a combination of both abnormalities in only 1% of the patients, and detection of renal abnormalities in 3% of the patients were observed. In the immediate postpartum period, 66% of patients had maintained elevated blood pressure levels, and 66% had proteinuria > 0.3 g/24 hours. At the 3-month postpartum assessment, persisting arterial hypertension was found in 16% of the patients, requiring continuation of antihypertensive therapy, and 22% of the patients had proteinuria over the accepted threshold (0.15 g/24 hours). CONCLUSION: Patients with preeclampsia have increased cardiovascular risk, necessitating lifestyle measures and long-term follow-up. Etiological assessment must be carried out, systematically aiming at the detection of promoting underlying diseases and adaptation of the management of subsequent pregnancies.