Introduction:
In December 2019, the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by
SARS-CoV-2 emerged in China. It has now spread in many countries.
Pregnant women are thought to be more prone to susceptible population of
COVID-19 which are more likely to have complications and even progress
to severe illness. Coronaviruses cause variety of respiratory tract
illness from the common cold to pneumonia and death. The usual
presentation is with fever, weakness, anosmia, cough, myalgia, headache,
and diarrhea and constipation. Overall case fatality rate appears to be
1%. Person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 is thought to be similar
to transmission of influenza and other respiratory infections; by direct
contact, indirect contact and droplets.1
Study of outcome of COVID positive pregnant patients compared to
non-COVID pregnant patients are still rare. The World is yet in shadow
whether COVID-19 positive pregnant patients has different symptoms than
other pregnant patients, whether pregnancy and parturition adversely
affect the infection and what will be their proper regimen of antiviral
medication.
Bangladesh reported its first case of confirmed COVID-19 positive on
8th March 2020 and first death confirmed COVID-19 on
18th March. We had a quick increase in confirmed cases during that time
in comparison to India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. 2
According to the Royal College of obstetricians and gynecologist (RCOG),
pregnant women rarely contract the COVID-19 infection than the general
population.3 If a pregnant women is infected with
viruses from the same family as the SARS CoV-2 virus and from other
respiratory tract viruses, it may manifest a more severe illness, it is
stated by the centers for disease control and prevention
(CDC).4 Due to altered immunity during pregnancy , it
is assumed that Corona virus infection may lead to more severe symptoms.
These findings of increased severity of clinical manifestations in
pregnancy are more prominent towards the end of pregnancy. Hence,
COVID-19 positive may potentially develop more severe symptoms such as
pneumonia and marked hypoxia. Such type of severe infection may develop
in elderly, immunosuppressed or have existing morbidity such as
diabetes, cancer or chronic lung disease patients. However, the RCOG
guidelines have contrastingly reported that the absolute risk of this is
low.5
The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical manifestations
and fetomaternal outcome of pregnant women infected with COVID-19,
monitor for changes before and after delivery, and provide some initial
evidence for highlighting the management of pregnant women with COVID-19
infection.