Impact of COVID-19 Infection on the Maternal and Perinatal Outcome of Pregnancies Associated with Preeclampsia

Objectives: To compare the severity and complications of preeclampsia in the presence and absence of COVID-19 infection Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Minia Governate isolation Hospitals which have a standard procedure for monitoring and testing COVID-19. The study enrolled 345 pregnant women after considering eligibility criteria. One hundred fifteen cases were positive for COVID-19 infection compared with randomly chosen control cases with a ratio of 1:2 of COVID-19-negative pregnant women. Result: The incidence of preeclampsia in COVID-19-infected pregnant women was 31.3% (36 cases), while 42 cases in the non-COVID-19 group had preeclampsia with an incidence of 18.3%. There was a high incidence of maternal complications in the study group (ICU admission incidence was 72.2% versus 45.2%, and maternal mortality was 41.6% versus 38%). Fetal complications were higher in the study group. Conclusion: The development of preeclampsia in COVID-19 patients is associated with hazardous maternal and fetal outcomes. It increases the need for ICU admission, invasive ventilation support, maternal and perinatal mortality.