Childhood maltreatment and trajectories of cardiometabolic health across the reproductive life span among individuals with a first birth during the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study.

OBJECTIVE: Childhood adversity is associated with poor cardiometabolic health in adulthood; little is known about how this relationship evolves through childbearing years for parous individuals. The goal was to estimate differences in cardiometabolic health indicators before, during and after childbearing years by report of childhood maltreatment in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort study. METHODS: Including 743 individuals nulliparous at baseline (1985-1986) with one or more pregnancies >20 weeks during follow-up (1986-2022), we fit segmented linear regression models to estimate mean differences between individuals reporting or not reporting childhood maltreatment (physical or emotional) in waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and body mass index (BMI) prior to, during, and following childbearing years using generalized estimating equations, allowing for interaction between maltreatment and time within each segment, and adjusting for total parity, parental education, and race (Black or white, self-reported). RESULTS: Individuals reporting maltreatment (19%; 141) had a greater waist circumference (post-childbearing: +2.9 cm, 95% CI (0.7, 5.0), higher triglycerides [post-childbearing: +8.1 mg/dL, 95% CI (0.7, 15.6)], and lower HDL cholesterol [post-childbearing: -2.1 mg/dL, 95% CI (-4.7, 0.5)] during all stages compared to those not reporting maltreatment. There were not meaningful differences in blood pressure, fasting glucose, or BMI. Individuals who reported maltreatment did not report faster changes over time. CONCLUSION: Differences in some aspects of cardiometabolic health between individuals reporting versus not reporting childhood maltreatment were sustained across reproductive life stages, suggesting potentially persistent impacts of childhood adversity.

Placental Injury and Antibody Transfer after Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: We examined the relationship between placental histopathology and transplacental antibody transfer in pregnant patients after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. METHODS: Differences in plasma concentrations of anti-receptor biding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies in maternal and cord blood were analyzed according to presence of placental injury. RESULTS: Median anti-RBD IgG concentrations in cord blood with placental injury (n = 7) did not differ significantly from those without injury (n = 16) (median 2.7 [interquartile range {IQR}, 1.8-3.6] vs 2.7 [IQR, 2.4-2.9], P = 0.59). However, they were associated with lower transfer ratios (median 0.77 [IQR, 0.61-0.97] vs 0.97 [IQR, 0.80-1.01], P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 placental injury may mediate reduced maternal-fetal antibody transfer.

Zika Virus Disease and Pregnancy Outcomes in Colombia.

BACKGROUND: In 2015 and 2016, Colombia had a widespread outbreak of Zika virus. Data from two national population-based surveillance systems for symptomatic Zika virus disease (ZVD) and birth defects provided complementary information on the effect of the Zika virus outbreak on pregnancies and infant outcomes. METHODS: We collected national surveillance data regarding cases of pregnant women with ZVD that were reported during the period from June 2015 through July 2016. The presence of Zika virus RNA was identified in a subgroup of these women on real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (rRT-PCR) assay. Brain or eye defects in infants and fetuses and other adverse pregnancy outcomes were identified among the women who had laboratory-confirmed ZVD and for whom data were available regarding pregnancy outcomes. We compared the nationwide prevalence of brain and eye defects during the outbreak with the prevalence both before and after the outbreak period. RESULTS: Of 18,117 pregnant women with ZVD, the presence of Zika virus was confirmed in 5926 (33%) on rRT-PCR. Of the 5673 pregnancies with laboratory-confirmed ZVD for which outcomes had been reported, 93 infants or fetuses (2%) had brain or eye defects. The incidence of brain or eye defects was higher among pregnancies in which the mother had an onset of ZVD symptoms in the first trimester than in those with an onset during the second or third trimester (3% vs. 1%). A total of 172 of 5673 pregnancies (3%) resulted in pregnancy loss; after the exclusion of pregnancies affected by birth defects, 409 of 5426 (8%) resulted in preterm birth and 333 of 5426 (6%) in low birth weight. The prevalence of brain or eye defects during the outbreak was 13 per 10,000 live births, as compared with a prevalence of 8 per 10,000 live births before the outbreak and 11 per 10,000 live births after the outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: In pregnant women with laboratory-confirmed ZVD, brain or eye defects in infants or fetuses were more common during the Zika virus outbreak than during the periods immediately before and after the outbreak. The frequency of such defects was increased among women with a symptom onset early in pregnancy. (Funded by the Colombian Instituto Nacional de Salud and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.).

Zika Virus Disease in Colombia - Preliminary Report.

BACKGROUND: Colombia began official surveillance for Zika virus disease (ZVD) in August 2015. In October 2015, an outbreak of ZVD was declared after laboratory-confirmed disease was identified in nine patients. METHODS: Using the national population-based surveillance system, we assessed patients with clinical symptoms of ZVD from August 9, 2015, to April 2, 2016. Laboratory test results and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated for a subgroup of pregnant women. Concurrently, we investigated reports of microcephaly for evidence of congenital ZVD. RESULTS: By April 2, 2016, there were 65,726 cases of ZVD reported in Colombia, of which 2485 (4%) were confirmed by means of reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assay. The overall reported incidence of ZVD among female patients was twice that in male patients. A total of 11,944 pregnant women with ZVD were reported in Colombia, with 1484 (12%) of these cases confirmed on RT-PCR assay. In a subgroup of 1850 pregnant women, more than 90% of women who were reportedly infected during the third trimester had given birth, and no infants with apparent abnormalities, including microcephaly, have been identified. A majority of the women who contracted ZVD in the first or second trimester were still pregnant at the time of this report. Among the cases of microcephaly investigated from January 2016 through April 2016, four patients had laboratory evidence of congenital ZVD; all were born to asymptomatic mothers who were not included in the ZVD surveillance system. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary surveillance data in Colombia suggest that maternal infection with the Zika virus during the third trimester of pregnancy is not linked to structural abnormalities in the fetus. However, the monitoring of the effect of ZVD on pregnant women in Colombia is ongoing. (Funded by Colombian Instituto Nacional de Salud and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.).

The Effect of Antiretroviral Therapy for the Treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 in Pregnancy on Gestational Weight Gain.

BACKGROUND: Gestational weight gain above Institute of Medicine recommendations is associated with increased risk of pregnancy complications. The goal was to analyze the association between newer HIV antiretroviral regimens (ART) on gestational weight gain. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of pregnant women with HIV-1 on ART. The primary outcome was incidence of excess gestational weight gain. Treatment effects were estimated by ART regimen type using log-linear models for relative risk (RR), adjusting for prepregnancy BMI and presence of detectable viral load at baseline. RESULTS: Three hundred three pregnant women were included in the analysis. Baseline characteristics, including prepregnancy BMI, viral load at prenatal care entry, and gestational age at delivery were similar by ART, including 53% of the entire cohort had initiated ART before pregnancy (P = nonsignificant). Excess gestational weight gain occurred in 29% of the cohort. Compared with non-integrase strand transfer inhibitor (-INSTI) or tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF)-exposed persons, receipt of INSTI+TAF showed a 1.7-fold increased RR of excess gestational weight gain (95% CI: 1.18-2.68; P < .01), while women who received tenofovir disoproxil fumarate had a 0.64-fold decreased RR (95% CI: .41-.99; P = .047) of excess gestational weight gain. INSTI alone was not significantly associated with excess weight gain in this population. The effect of TAF without INSTI could not be inferred from our data. There was no difference in neonatal, obstetric, or maternal outcomes between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women receiving ART with a combined regimen of INSTI and TAF have increased risk of excess gestational weight gain.

Trichomonas vaginalis and Spontaneous Preterm Birth in a High-Risk Obstetric Cohort in Atlanta, GA.

BACKGROUND: Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) is the most prevalent nonviral sexually transmitted infection globally, but routine screening is not recommended in HIV-negative individuals. There is a significant racial/ethnic health disparity in TV infection rates. Evidence regarding the association between TV and adverse perinatal outcomes is conflicting, but a recent large meta-analysis found a modest increased risk of preterm birth with TV infection (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.50). The current study was undertaken to evaluate whether TV infection increases the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) in a high-risk obstetric cohort in Atlanta, GA. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of women delivering at a safety-net hospital in Atlanta between July 2016 and June 2018. Women delivering a singleton live fetus at >20 weeks' gestation were included. The diagnosis of TV was by nucleic acid amplification testing. The outcome of interest was sPTB before 37 weeks' gestation. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to estimate the effect of TV on sPTB, controlling for confounding variables, including clinical and demographic characteristics. Several sensitivity analyses were undertaken. RESULTS: There were 3723 deliveries during the study period, and approximately half (46%) were screened for TV with nucleic acid amplification testing. After exclusions, the analytic cohort included 1629 women. Median age was 26 years (interquartile range, 22-31 years), and 70% of participants were listed as non-Hispanic Black in the electronic medical record. The prevalence of TV was 16% (n = 257). The sPTB rate was 7% (n = 112). In multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling, TV infection was not associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of sPTB (hazard ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-2.13; P = 0.22). Factors associated with sPTB included history of PTB, adequate plus or transfer of prenatal care (vs. adequate/intermediate prenatal care utilization using the Kotelchuck index), recreational substance use, and Chlamydia trachomatis diagnosed during the current pregnancy. Results were not substantively different in sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of TV was high in this cohort. Its infection was not associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of sPTB. Nevertheless, the magnitude of effect is consistent with prior meta-analyses.

An update on COVID-19 and pregnancy.

Physiological, mechanical, and immunologic alterations in pregnancy could potentially affect the susceptibility to and the severity of COVID-19 during pregnancy. Owing to the lack of comparable incidence data and the challenges with disentangling differences in the susceptibility from different exposure risks, the data are insufficient to determine whether pregnancy increases the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The data support pregnancy as a risk factor for severe disease associated with COVID-19; some of the best evidence comes from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 surveillance system, which reported that pregnant persons were more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit, require invasive ventilation, require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and die than nonpregnant women of reproductive age. Although the intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been documented, it appears to be rare. It is possibly related to low levels of SARS-CoV-2 viremia and the decreased coexpression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and transmembrane serine protease 2 needed for SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells in the placenta. Evidence is accumulating that SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is associated with a number of adverse pregnancy outcomes including preeclampsia, preterm birth, and stillbirth, especially among pregnant persons with severe COVID-19 disease. In addition to the direct impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy outcomes, there is evidence that the pandemic and its effects on healthcare systems have had adverse effects such as increased stillbirths and maternal deaths on the pregnancy outcomes. These trends may represent widening disparities and an alarming reversal of recent improvements in maternal and infant health. All the 3 COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States can be administered to pregnant or lactating persons, with no preference for the vaccine type. Although the safety data in pregnancy are rapidly accumulating and no safety signals in pregnancy have been detected, additional information about the birth outcomes, particularly among persons vaccinated earlier in pregnancy, are needed.

Delayed entry into prenatal care among women with pre-pregnancy health conditions, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011.

First trimester entry into prenatal care is recommended for all women, and especially women with pre-pregnancy conditions. Our objective was to determine whether women with pre-pregnancy conditions were at lower risk of entry after the first trimester (delayed entry) into prenatal care than women without a pre-pregnancy health condition. We used data from 10,890 participants in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study who delivered liveborn infants without birth defects. Women reported pre-pregnancy conditions and timing of entry into prenatal care during a computer-assisted telephone interview. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate whether having a pre-pregnancy condition was associated with delayed entry into prenatal care compared to women without pre-pregnancy conditions. Approximately 13% of women reported delayed entry into prenatal care, and 18% of women reported a pre-pregnancy condition. Delayed entry into prenatal care was not associated with pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic or neurologic conditions. Women with thyroid conditions were less likely to report delayed entry into prenatal care (prevalence odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55 [0.32, 0.94]), but women with hematologic and respiratory conditions were more likely to report delayed entry into prenatal care (OR: 1.95 [1.00, 3.82] and 1.27 [0.95, 1.72], respectively), compared to those without any chronic conditions. Future research investigating the success of early prenatal care among women with thyroid conditions could identify ways to reduce delayed prenatal care among women with other pre-pregnancy conditions.

A Qualitative Study of Perceptions, Strengths, and Opportunities in Cardiometabolic Risk Management During Pregnancy and Postpartum in a Georgia Safety-Net Hospital, 2021.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the strong link between cardiometabolic pregnancy complications and future heart disease, there are documented gaps in engaging those who experience such conditions in recommended postpartum follow-up and preventive care. The goal of our study was to understand how people in a Medicaid-insured population perceive and manage risks during and after pregnancy related to an ongoing cardiometabolic disorder. METHODS: We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with postpartum participants who had a cardiometabolic conditions during pregnancy (chronic or gestational diabetes, chronic or gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia). We recruited postpartum participants from a single safety-net hospital system in Atlanta, Georgia, and conducted virtual interviews during January through May 2021. We conducted a content analysis guided by the Health Belief Model and present themes related to risk management. RESULTS: From the 28 interviews we conducted, we found that during pregnancy, advice and intervention by the clinical care team facilitated management behaviors for high-risk conditions. However, participants described limited understanding of how pregnancy complications might affect future outcomes, and few described engaging in postpartum management behaviors. CONCLUSION: Improving continuity and content of care during postpartum may improve uptake of preventive behaviors among postpartum patients at risk of heart disease.

Postpartum Psychiatric Outcomes following Severe Maternal Morbidity in an Urban Safety-Net Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) may be associated with postpartum psychiatric morbidity. However, the direction and strength of this relationship remain unclear. Our goal was to estimate the association between SMM and postpartum inpatient mental health care utilization. STUDY DESIGN: We examined all liveborn deliveries at a large, safety-net hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, from 2013 to 2021. SMM at or within 42 days of delivery was identified using International Classification of Disease codes. The primary outcome of interest was hospitalization with a psychiatric diagnosis in the year following the delivery. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting based on propensity scores to adjust for demographics, index delivery characteristics, and medical, psychiatric, and obstetric history. We fit log-binomial models with generalized estimating equations to calculate adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Among 22,233 deliveries, the rates of SMM and postpartum hospitalization with a psychiatric diagnosis, respectively, were 6.8% (n = 1,149) and 0.8% (n = 169). The most common psychiatric diagnosis was nonpsychotic mood disorders (without SMM 0.4%, n = 79; with SMM 1.7% n = 24). After weighting, 2.2% of deliveries with SMM had a postpartum readmission with a psychiatric diagnosis, compared with 0.7% of deliveries without SMM (aRR: 3.2, 95% CI: [2.0, 5.2]). Associations were stronger among individuals without previous psychiatric hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Experiencing SMM was associated with an elevated risk of postpartum psychiatric morbidity. These findings support screening and treatment for mild and moderate postpartum psychiatric disorders in the antenatal period. KEY POINTS: · Experiencing SMM was associated with three-fold excess risk of postpartum psychiatric admission.. · Experiencing SMM was not associated with an elevated risk of outpatient psychiatric care use.. · Experience SMM was not associated with outpatient psychiatric morbidity diagnoses..

Identification of Distinct Risk Factors for Antepartum and Postpartum Preeclampsia in a High-Risk Safety-Net Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Postpartum preeclampsia (PE), defined as de novo PE that develops at least 48 hours following delivery, can be particularly dangerous as many patients are already discharged at that point. The goal of our study was to identify risk factors uniquely associated with the development of late postpartum preeclampsia (PPPE). STUDY DESIGN: In a retrospective cohort study of deliveries between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2018 at a safety-net hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, we used multinomial logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between demographic, medical, and obstetric factors and development of PE, categorized as a three-level outcome: no PE, antepartum/intrapartum preeclampsia (APE) (diagnosed prior to or < 48 hours of delivery), and late PPPE (diagnosed ≥ 48-hour postpartum). RESULTS: Among 3,681 deliveries, women were primarily of ages 20 to 35 years (76.4%), identified as non-Hispanic Black (68.5%), and covered by public health insurance (88.6%). PE was diagnosed prior to delivery or within 48-hour postpartum in 12% (n = 477) of the study population, and 1.5% (57) developed PE greater than 48-hour postpartum. In the adjusted models, maternal age ≥ 35, race/ethnicity, nulliparity, a diagnosis of pregestational or gestational diabetes, and chronic hypertension were associated with increased odds of APE only, while maternal obesity (OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.0-3.5) and gestational hypertension (OR: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.5-4.8) were uniquely associated with PPPE. Multifetal gestations and cesarean delivery predicted both PPPE and APE; however, the association was stronger for PPPE. CONCLUSION: Patients with obesity, gestational hypertension, multifetal gestations, or cesarean delivery may benefit from additional follow-up in the early postpartum period to detect PPPE. KEY POINTS: · Late postpartum preeclampsia may go undetected, particularly in low-income patients.. · In a delivery cohort in Georgia, 1.5% of patients developed late postpartum preeclampsia.. · Maternal obesity and gestational hypertension were strongly associated only with late postpartum preeclampsia..

Infant Outcomes Following Maternal Infection With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): First Report From the Pregnancy Coronavirus Outcomes Registry (PRIORITY) Study.

Infant outcomes after maternal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are not well described. In a prospective US registry of 263 infants, maternal SARS-CoV-2 status was not associated with birth weight, difficulty breathing, apnea, or upper or lower respiratory infection through 8 weeks of age.

Evaluating Differences in Whole Blood, Serum, and Urine Screening Tests for Zika Virus, Puerto Rico, USA, 2016.

We evaluated nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for Zika virus on whole-blood specimens compared with NAAT on serum and urine specimens among asymptomatic pregnant women during the 2015-2016 Puerto Rico Zika outbreak. Using NAAT, more infections were detected in serum and urine than in whole blood specimens.

Validation of Hypertensive Disorders During Pregnancy: ICD-10 Codes in a High-burden Southeastern United States Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Identification of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy research often uses hospital International Classification of Diseases v. 10 (ICD-10) codes meant for billing purposes, which may introduce misclassification error relative to medical records. We estimated the validity of ICD-10 codes for hypertensive disorders during pregnancy overall and by subdiagnosis, compared with medical record diagnosis, in a Southeastern United States high disease burden hospital. METHODS: We linked medical record data with hospital discharge records for deliveries between 1 July 2016, and 30 June 2018, in an Atlanta, Georgia, public hospital. For any hypertensive disorder (with and without unspecified codes) and each subdiagnosis (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count [HELLP] syndrome, eclampsia, preeclampsia with and without severe features, chronic hypertension, superimposed preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension), we calculated positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) sensitivity, and specificity for ICD-10 codes compared with medical record diagnoses (gold standard). RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent of 3,654 eligible pregnancies had a clinical diagnosis of any hypertensive disorder during pregnancy. Overall, ICD-10 codes identified medical record diagnoses well (PPV, NPV, specificity >90%; sensitivity >80%). PPV, NPV, and specificity were high for all subindicators (>80%). Sensitivity estimates were high for superimposed preeclampsia, chronic hypertension, and gestational hypertension (>80%); moderate for eclampsia (66.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 22.3%, 95.7%), HELLP (75.0%; 95% CI = 50.9%, 91.3%), and preeclampsia with severe features (58.3%; 95% CI = 52.6%, 63.8%); and low for preeclampsia without severe features (3.2%; 95% CI, 1.4%, 6.2%). CONCLUSIONS: We provide bias parameters for future US-based studies of hypertensive outcomes during pregnancy in high-burden populations using hospital ICD-10 codes.

Validation of ICD-10 Codes for Gestational and Pregestational Diabetes During Pregnancy in a Large, Public Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The use of billing codes (ICD-10) to identify and track cases of gestational and pregestational diabetes during pregnancy is common in clinical quality improvement, research, and surveillance. However, specific diagnoses may be misclassified using ICD-10 codes, potentially biasing estimates. The goal of this study is to provide estimates of validation parameters (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value) for pregestational and gestational diabetes diagnosis using ICD-10 diagnosis codes compared with medical record abstraction at a large public hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. METHODS: This study includes 3,654 deliveries to Emory physicians at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, between 2016 and 2018. We linked information abstracted from the medical record to ICD-10 diagnosis codes for gestational and pregestational diabetes during the delivery hospitalization. Using the medical record as the gold standard, we calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for each. RESULTS: For both pregestational and gestational diabetes, ICD-10 codes had a high-negative predictive value (>99%, Table 3) and specificity (>99%). For pregestational diabetes, the sensitivity was 85.9% (95% CI = 78.8, 93.0) and positive predictive value 90.8% (95% CI = 85, 97). For gestational diabetes, the sensitivity was 95% (95% CI = 92, 98) and positive predictive value 86% (95% CI = 81, 90). CONCLUSIONS: In a large public hospital, ICD-10 codes accurately identified cases of pregestational and gestational diabetes with low numbers of false positives.

Chronic Stress and Preconception Health Among Latina Women in Metro Atlanta.

BACKGROUND: Underserved subgroups are less likely to have optimal health prior to pregnancy. We describe preconception health indicators (behavior, pregnancy intention, and obesity) among pregnant Latina women with and without chronic stress in metro Atlanta. DESIGN: We surveyed 110 pregnant Latina women enrolled in prenatal care at three clinics in Atlanta. The survey assessed chronic stress, pregnancy intention, preconception behavior changes (taking folic acid or prenatal vitamins, seeking healthcare advice, any reduction in smoking or drinking), and previous trauma. RESULTS: Specific behaviors to improve health prior to pregnancy were uncommon (e.g., taking vitamins (25.5%) or improving nutrition (20.9%)). Just under half of women were experiencing a chronic stressor at the time of conception (49.5%). Chronically stressed women were more likely to be obese (aOR: 3.0 (1.2, 7.4)), less likely to intend their pregnancy (aOR: 0.3 (0.1, 0.7)), and possibly less likely to report any PHB (45.5% vs. 57.4%; aOR: 0.5 (0.2-1.1)). CONCLUSIONS: Chronically stress women were less likely to enter prenatal care with optimal health. However, preconception behaviors were uncommon overall.

Plague During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Yersinia pestis continues to cause sporadic cases and outbreaks of plague worldwide and is considered a tier 1 bioterrorism select agent due to its potential for intentional use. Knowledge about the clinical manifestations of plague during pregnancy, specifically the maternal, fetal, and neonatal risks, is very limited. METHODS: We searched 12 literature databases, performed hand searches, and consulted plague experts to identify publications on plague during pregnancy. Articles were included if they reported a case of plague during pregnancy and at least 1 maternal or fetal outcome. RESULTS: Our search identified 6425 articles, of which 59 were eligible for inclusion and described 160 cases of plague among pregnant women. Most published cases occurred during the preantibiotic era. Among those treated with antimicrobials, the most commonly used were sulfonamides (75%) and streptomycin (54%). Among cases treated with antimicrobials, maternal mortality and fetal fatality were 29% and 62%, respectively; for untreated cases, maternal mortality and fetal fatality were 67% and 74%, respectively. Five cases demonstrated evidence of Y. pestis in fetal or neonatal tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Untreated Y. pestis infection during pregnancy is associated with a high risk of maternal mortality and pregnancy loss. Appropriate antimicrobial treatment can improve maternal survival, although even with antimicrobial treatment, there remains a high risk of pregnancy loss. Limited evidence suggests that maternal-fetal transmission of Y. pestis is possible, particularly in the absence of antimicrobial treatment. These results emphasize the need to treat or prophylax pregnant women with suspected plague with highly effective antimicrobials as quickly as possible.

Sociodemographic Predictors of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Obstetric Patients, Georgia, USA.

We conducted a cohort study to determine sociodemographic risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection among obstetric patients in 2 urban hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Prevalence of infection was highest among women who were Hispanic, were uninsured, or lived in high-density neighborhoods.

Preventing Vector-Borne Transmission of Zika Virus Infection During Pregnancy, Puerto Rico, USA, 2016-20171.

We examined pregnant women's use of personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites during the 2016-2017 Zika outbreak in Puerto Rico. Healthcare provider counseling on recommended measures was associated with increased use of insect repellent among pregnant women but not with wearing protective clothing.