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. 2020 Nov 25;4(1):e000859. doi: 10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000859

Table 4.

Perinatal outcome (pooled data)

Foetal outcome
Outcome Number of studies Results Indications Remarks
Preterm birth 43 studies
(26 case series/cohort and 17 case reports)
  • Preterm birth=330 out of 1273 neonates in the case series/cohort (25.9%).

  • Preterm birth=19 out of 45 neonates in the case reports (42.2%).

  • Iatrogenic prematurity to improve maternal COVID-19 related respiratory symptoms=153.

  • Spontaneous preterm labour=24.

  • Foetal compromise/distress=17.

  • Unknown/other=156.

Pooled preterm birth in 26.4% of total births
Spontaneous preterm birth: 1.8% of total births
Mode of delivery 59 studies
(30 case series/cohort and 29 case reports)
  • In case series/cohorts, out of 1267 deliveries, CS=761 (60%) and VD=506 (40%).

  • In case reports, out of 44 deliveries, CS=25 (56.8%) and VD=19 (43.2%).

Maternal COVID-19 related conditions most common indication Pooled data: CS=786 (59.9%)
VD=525 (40.1%)
Stillbirth
Miscarriage
Stillbirth=8 studies
Miscarriage=5 studies
Stillbirth=13
Spontaneous miscarriage=15
Induced miscarriage=4
All induced miscarriages were due to maternal request Stillbirth rate=9.9
Feral complications FD=21 studies
PROM and PPROM=15 studies
Foetal distress (87 out of 1311 pregnancies) (6.63%)
PROM and PPROM (56 out of 1311 pregnancies) (4.27%)
IUGR and SGA IUGR: 5 studies
SGA: 2 studies
12 foetuses had IUGR (0.9%)
5 neonates had SGA (0.38%)
Neonatal outcomes
Outcome Results
Neonatal symptoms Respiratory symptoms=23 neonates (1.79%)
Neonatal pneumonia and pulmonary infection=14 neonates (1.1%)
Fever=12 neonates (0.9%)
Most common symptom is respiratory distress in (1.17%)
APGAR score Score of less than 7 at 1 min and 5 minutes=neonates Most common reason is preterm birth
ICU admissions In 276 neonates (21.5%) Most common reason was for observation and isolation (32.6 %)
Prematurity is second most common reason
ICU admissions for suspected or confirmed neonatal sepsis was reported in 6 neonates
(0.46%)
Neonatal death 7 neonates Neonatal death rate=5.46 per 1000 live births

Ab.CTG, non-reassuring/pathological foetal cardio-tocography; CS, caesarean section; FD, foetal distress; ICU, intensive care unit; IM, induced miscarriage; IUGR, intrauterine growth restriction; MSA, meconium-stained amniotic fluid; PROM, prelabour rupture of membrane; SGA, small for gestational age; VD, vaginal delivery.