Neonatal Outcomes Among Pregnant Women with COVID-19

Abstract

Context: COVID-19 is a serious threat to the world as a whole, and pregnant women are at increased risk of the infection. Objectives: In the present study, we have reviewed the outcomes of neonates of pregnant women with COVID-19. Data Sources: We searched Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from December 2019 to April 2020. The search was conducted using the following keywords: COVID-19, newborn, neonatal mortality, neonatal morbidity, pregnant women, pregnancy outcome, or combinations of these keywords. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were all English language articles about COVID-19 in pregnant women and outcomes of pregnancy. Review articles were excluded because of reporting repetitive articles. Study Selection: Two researchers independently screened the titles of all recorded citations, removed duplicate records, and distinguished potentially relevant studies for inclusion. Then, abstracts of selected citations were independently reviewed by two researchers for further relevance, with full-text manuscripts retrieved as appropriate. In disagreement cases, a third consultant was asked to act as an intervener. Results: In total, 6 articles had inclusion criteria. Newborns were examined by laboratory methods, including; the pharyngeal swab specimens, throat swab specimen, amniotic fluid, cord blood, breast milk. The neonatal complications such as a slight increase in the myocardial enzyme, fever, tachycardia, thrombocytopenia, vomiting and pneumothorax, shortness of breath, mild pulmonary infection, transient tachypnea and the skin rashes higher concentrations of IgG and IgM are reported. The shortness of breath was the most frequent clinical first symptom among neonates. Conclusions: There are strong ambiguities concerning the vertical transmission from mother to fetus. Extensive research is needed to resolve ambiguities about the virus and its impact on pregnancy outcomes.