Diagnosis and management of covid-19 in pregnancy

Strategies and outcomes of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use in peripartum patients: a single institution experience

BACKGROUND

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use in peripartum patients is rare, and there is a gap in the literature on the outcomes and guidance on using ECMO in peripartum patients. This study describes ECMO strategies our institution uses for peripartum patients and reports outcomes of ECMO use in peripartum patients with respiratory and/or cardiac failure.

METHODS

A case series of all peripartum patients, defined as pregnant or up to 6 weeks after delivery of an infant >20 weeks gestation, from 2018 to 2023 from a single center requiring ECMO support. Patients were included if ECMO was initiated in the setting of cardiac, pulmonary, or combined failure. Patient demographics, operative details, ECMO data, and adverse outcomes for maternal, fetus, and neonates were all collected.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients met the inclusion criteria. The cohort had a mean maternal age of 30.7 years old and was racially diverse. A majority of this cohort tested positive for COVID-19 (n = 10, 55%). ECMO was a bridge to recovery for all patients, of whom 14 (78%) were discharged out of the hospital alive. No patients received transplantation or a durable mechanical device. The most common complications were infection (25%) and postpartum hemorrhage (22%).

CONCLUSIONS

ECMO use in peripartum patients in a single tertiary center was associated with a high survival rate. Furthermore, a strong multidisciplinary team, careful reevaluation of clinical trajectory, and consideration of complications and risks associated with using ECMO in peripartum patients are possible frameworks to use when challenged with critically ill peripartum patients.

COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy: A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the effect of strong public health messaging in an Australian cohort

BACKGROUND

SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy predisposes women and their offspring to adverse health outcomes, while internationally reported rates of vaccination uptake remain low. Our study objective was to quantify the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women, and to assess their attitudes toward vaccination in pregnancy with both quantitative and qualitative analyses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a prospective, cross-sectional survey at Australia's largest quaternary level maternity centre. A total of 351 pregnant women, at 6-42 weeks gestation receiving antenatal care at our hospital, completed an online voluntary, anonymous, 17 question survey. This was conducted during a five-week period in November to December 2021. The main outcome measures were demographic data, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination status, knowledge and attitudes surrounding COVID-19 disease and vaccination in pregnancy.

RESULTS

High rates of COVID-19 vaccination were observed in this pregnant population. Of the 351 respondents, 82% had received at least one dose of the COVID 19-vaccination. This increased compared to estimates of 15% in June 2021 which were obtained from the hospital's electronic health record.

CONCLUSIONS

Our survey demonstrates that a strong public health campaign with clear messaging regarding the beneficial effects of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy can lead to high vaccination uptake rates.

Acute Respiratory Failure in Pregnancy

Respiratory failure may affect up to 1 in 500 pregnancies, due to pregnancy-specific conditions, conditions aggravated by the pregnant state, or other causes. Management during pregnancy is influenced by altered maternal physiology, and the presence of a fetus influencing imaging, and drug therapy choices. Few studies have addressed the approach to invasive mechanical ventilatory management in pregnancy. Hypoxemia is likely harmful to the fetus, but precise targets are unknown. Hypocapnia reduces uteroplacental circulation, and some degree of hypercapnia may be tolerated in pregnancy. Delivery of the fetus may be considered to improve maternal respiratory status but improvement does not always occur.

Reported experienced stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and patient preferences for the consultation of periconception blended lifestyle care: a survey among (pre)pregnant women

PURPOSE

To assess experienced stress on different aspects of life and evaluate patient preferences for the consultation of periconception blended lifestyle care, combining face-to-face counseling with eHealth, during the COVID-19 pandemic among (pre)pregnant women. Using this two-fold aim, we were able to analyze the levels of stress among (pre)pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to study whether their preferences for the consultation modality of periconception blended lifestyle care was influenced by the levels of stress.

METHODS

A quantitative survey among (pre)pregnant women who received blended periconception lifestyle care between March 2020 and December 2021, from the first until the fourth COVID-19 wave in the Netherlands. The questionnaire used a 5-point Likert scale and measured experienced stress and preferred periconception blended lifestyle care modality.

RESULTS

984 women (response rate: 55.2%) filled out the questionnaire. Experienced stress during the COVID-19 pandemic was relatively low and stable over time. The highest percentage of respondents (31.2%) reported to have experienced stress on fertility and pregnancy. 40.4% (309/764) of the respondents indicated that face-to-face consultations could be replaced by digital consultation. Additionally, the mean experienced stress did not differ between the patients who preferred a video consultation (2.60 ± 1.1), or a telephone consultation (2.57 ± 1.2), either a video or telephone consultation (2.54 ± 1.3), still preferred a face-to-face consultation (2.41 ± 1.4) (p = .83).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate willingness for wide implementation of telemedicine within health care delivery, and reorganizing of periconception blended lifestyle care toward personalized and value-based health care.

Neonatal and maternal outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination: a population-based matched cohort study

Understanding the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy on neonatal and maternal outcomes informs clinical decision-making. Here we report a national, population-based, matched cohort study to investigate associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and, separately, COVID-19 vaccination just before or during pregnancy and the risk of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes among women in Scotland with a singleton pregnancy ending at ≥20 weeks gestation. Neonatal outcomes are stillbirth, neonatal death, extended perinatal mortality, preterm birth (overall, spontaneous, and provider-initiated), small-for-gestational age, and low Apgar score. Maternal outcomes are admission to critical care or death, venous thromboembolism, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and pregnancy-related bleeding. We use conditional logistic regression to derive odds ratios adjusted for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics (aORs). We find that infection is associated with an increased risk of preterm (aOR=1.36, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.16-1.59) and very preterm birth (aOR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.20-3.02), maternal admission to critical care or death (aOR=1.72, 95% CI = 1.39-2.12), and venous thromboembolism (aOR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.47-4.35). We find no evidence of increased risk for any of our outcomes following vaccination. These data suggest SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is associated with adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes, and COVID-19 vaccination remains a safe way for pregnant women to protect themselves and their babies against infection.

A unique maternal and placental galectin signature upon SARS-CoV-2 infection suggests galectin-1 as a key alarmin at the maternal-fetal interface

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic imposed a risk of infection and disease in pregnant women and neonates. Successful pregnancy requires a fine-tuned regulation of the maternal immune system to accommodate the growing fetus and to protect the mother from infection. Galectins, a family of β-galactoside-binding proteins, modulate immune and inflammatory processes and have been recognized as critical factors in reproductive orchestration, including maternal immune adaptation in pregnancy. Pregnancy-specific glycoprotein 1 (PSG1) is a recently identified gal-1 ligand at the maternal-fetal interface, which may facilitate a successful pregnancy. Several studies suggest that galectins are involved in the immune response in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. However, the galectins and PSG1 signature upon SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination during pregnancy remain unclear. In the present study, we examined the maternal circulating levels of galectins (gal-1, gal-3, gal-7, and gal-9) and PSG1 in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 before vaccination or uninfected women who were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 and correlated their expression with different pregnancy parameters. SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination during pregnancy provoked an increase in maternal gal-1 circulating levels. On the other hand, levels of PSG1 were only augmented upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. A healthy pregnancy is associated with a positive correlation between gal-1 concentrations and gal-3 or gal-9; however, no correlation was observed between these lectins during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Transcriptome analysis of the placenta showed that gal-1, gal-3, and several PSG and glycoenzymes responsible for the synthesis of gal-1-binding glycotopes (such as linkage-specific N-acetyl-glucosaminyltransferases (MGATs)) are upregulated in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2. Collectively, our findings identify a dynamically regulated "galectin-specific signature" that accompanies the SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in pregnancy, and they highlight a potentially significant role for gal-1 as a key pregnancy protective alarmin during virus infection.

The spectrum of in vitro maturation in clinical practice: the current insight

In vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) has been used worldwide. Despite the long-term implementation, the uptake of this procedure to complement current in vitro fertilization (IVF) remains low. The main reason is likely due to the non-synchronization of protocol and definition criteria, leading to difficulty in collective proper outcome data worldwide and, thus, lack of understanding of the exact IVM procedure. The review aims to consolidate the current clinical practice of IVM by dissecting relevant publications to be tailored for a current spectrum of clinical practice. Nevertheless, the background theories of oocyte maturation were also explored to provide a comprehensive understanding of the basis of IVM theories. Additional discussion of other potential uses of IVM in the future, such as in ovarian tissue cryopreservation known as OTO-IVM for fertility preservation and among women with diminished ovarian reserve, was also explored. Otherwise, future collaboration among all IVM centers is paramount for better collection of clinical data to provide valid recommendations for IVM in clinical practice, especially in molecular integrity and possible DNA alteration if present for IVM offspring outcome safety purposes.

COVID-19 and Pregnancy: An Updated Review about Evidence-Based Therapeutic Strategies

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant challenge for clinicians in managing pregnant women, who were at high risk of virus transmission and severe illness. While the WHO declared in May 2023 that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency, it emphasized that it remains a global health threat. Despite the success of vaccines, the possibility of new pandemic waves due to viral mutations should be considered. Ongoing assessment of the safety and effectiveness of pharmacological therapies is crucial in clinical practice. This narrative review summarizes the evidence-based therapeutic strategies for pregnant women with COVID-19, considering over three years of pandemic experience. The review discusses the safety and effectiveness of various drug regimens (antivirals, anticoagulants, corticosteroids, immunoglobulins, monoclonal antibodies, and therapeutic gases) and procedures (prone positioning and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). Drugs with contraindications, inefficacy during pregnancy, or unknown adverse effects were excluded from our evaluation. The aim is to provide healthcare professionals with a comprehensive guide for managing pregnant women with COVID-19 based on lessons learned from the pandemic outbreak.

Managing Labour in Women with COVID-19

Since first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, COVID-19 caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Corona virus2 (SARS CoV-2) quickly spread to become a pandemic that has caused significant morbidity and mortality. The rapidity of the spread of the virus and the high mortality at the outset threatened to overwhelm health systems worldwide, and, indeed, this significantly impacted maternal health, especially since there was minimal experience to draw from. Experience with Covid 19 has grown exponentially as the unique needs of pregnant and labouring women with COVID-19 infection have become more evident. Managing COVID-19 parturients requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of anaesthesiologists, obstetricians, neonatologists, nursing staff, critical care staff, infectious disease and infection control experts. There should be a clear policy on triaging patients depending on the severity of their condition and the stage of labour. Those at high risk of respiratory failure should be managed in a tertiary referral centre with facilities for intensive care and assisted respiration. Staff and patients in delivery suites and operating rooms should be protected by enforcing infection protection principles such as offering dedicated rooms and theatres to SARS CoV-2 positive patients and using personal protective equipment. All hospital staff must be trained in infection control measures which should be updated regularly. Breastfeeding and care of the new-born must be part of the healthcare package offered to COVID-19 parturient mothers.

Assessment of the scope, completeness, and consistency of various drug information resources related to COVID-19 medications in pregnancy and lactation

BACKGROUND

Drug use in pregnancy and lactation is challenging. It becomes more challenging in pregnant and lactating women with certain critical clinical conditions such as COVID-19, because of inconsistent drug safety data. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the various drug information resources for the scope, completeness, and consistency of the information related to COVID-19 medications in pregnancy and lactation.

METHODS

Data related to COVID-19 medications from various drug information resources such as text references, subscription databases, and free online tools were used for the comparison. The congregated data were analyzed for scope, completeness, and consistency.

RESULTS

Scope scores were highest for Portable Electronic Physician Information Database (PEPID), Up-to-date, and drugs.com compared to other resources. The overall completeness scores were higher for Micromedex and drugs.com (p < 0.05 compared to all other resources). The inter-reliability analysis for overall components by Fleiss kappa among all the resources was found to be 'slight' (k < 0.20, p < 0.0001). The information related to the older drugs in most of the resources, provides in-depth details on various components such as pregnancy safety, clinical data related to lactation, the effect of the drug distribution into breast milk, reproductive potential/infertility risk and the pregnancy category/recommendations. However, the information related to these components for newer drugs was superficial and incomplete, with insufficient data and inconclusive evidence, which is a statistically significant observation. The strength of observer agreement for the various COVID-19 medications ranged from poor to fair and moderate for the various recommendation categories studied.

CONCLUSION

This study reports discrepancies in the information related to pregnancy, lactation, drug level, reproductive risk, and pregnancy recommendations among the resources directing to refer to more than one resource for information about the safe and quality use of medications in this special population.The present study also emphasizes the need for development of comprehensive, evidence-based, and precise information guide that can promote safe and effective drug use in this special population.

Challenges and pitfalls of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in critically-ill pregnant and peripartum women with COVID-19: a retrospective case series

BACKGROUND

Available data identify pregnancy as a strong determinant of a severe course of COVID-19 with increased mortality. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) remains the last resort treatment in the critical course of COVID-19 yet may increase the risk of excessive bleeding, especially in the immediate post-cesarean section period. One in five patients receiving ECMO during the COVID-19 pandemic were women who were pregnant or postpartum. While the risk of critical respiratory failure in the peripartum period is high, in an early survey only 52% of pregnant patients intended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

METHODS

Our study aimed to evaluate clinical characteristics and treatment modalities in a series of five pregnant and peripartum women supported with ECMO and anticoagulated with anti-Xa-guided nadroparin therapy in our center. We reviewed the full treatment courses; inflammatory, hemodynamic, and coagulation variables; and maternal and neonatal outcomes. We identified adverse events during the therapy.

RESULTS

All five patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome due to COVID-19 in the third trimester of pregnancy. Termination of pregnancy occurred between 28 and 36 gestational weeks. While four of five newborns survived to hospital discharge, only two of the five mothers survived to leave hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

ECMO is feasible in the third trimester but not devoid of complications. The severity of respiratory failure during COVID-19 and extracorporeal support may not adversely impact neonatal outcomes.

A Review of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with increased rates of operative delivery, intensive care unit admission, and mechanical ventilation as well as a possible increased risk of death, independent of other risk factors, compared with nonpregnant women with COVID-19. Furthermore, pregnancy outcomes are worse in those with COVID-19 with increased risk for preeclampsia, venous thromboembolism, preterm birth, miscarriage, and stillbirth compared with pregnant women without COVID-19. Importantly, pregnant women of nonwhite ethnicity appear to be at greater risk of severe COVID-19, necessitating improved access to care and closer monitoring in these women. The management of COVID-19 in pregnancy is largely similar to that in nonpregnant people; however, there is an important emphasis on multidisciplinary team involvement to ensure favorable outcomes in both mother and baby. Similarly, vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is safe in pregnancy and improves maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Severe COVID-19 Infection during Pregnancy Requiring ECMO: Case Report and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

The risk of developing severe COVID-19 that requires admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) and invasive ventilation is increased in pregnant women. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been successfully used to manage critical pregnant and peripartum patients.

CASE REPORT

A 40-year-old patient, unvaccinated for COVID-19, presented to a tertiary hospital in January 2021 at 23 weeks of gestation due to respiratory distress, cough, and fever. The patient had a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 with a PCR test in a private center 48 h before. She required admission into the ICU due to respiratory failure. High-flow nasal oxygen therapy, intermittent noninvasive mechanical ventilation (BiPAP), mechanical ventilation, prone positioning, and nitric oxide therapy were administered. Additionally, hypoxemic respiratory failure was diagnosed. Thus, circulatory assistance using ECMO with venovenous access was performed. After 33 days of ICU admission, the patient was transferred to the internal medicine department. She was discharged 45 days after hospital admission. At 37 weeks of gestation, the patient presented active labor and underwent an uneventful vaginal delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe COVID-19 in pregnancy may lead to the requirement for ECMO administration. This therapy should be administered in specialized hospitals using a multidisciplinary approach. COVID-19 vaccination should be strongly recommended to pregnant women to decrease the risk of severe COVID-19.

Preliminary results of COVID-19 vaccination among Taiwanese pregnant women: A single-center, prospective, case-control study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impacts of messenger RNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in Taiwanese pregnant women in terms of obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.

METHODS

The authors prospectively followed up 450 pregnant women receiving vaccination at a single center. Patients recorded prespecified adverse reactions via a mobile application up to 30 days after the first and second doses. Obstetrical and neonatal outcomes were compared with those of pregnant women, during the same period, who did not undergo vaccination.

RESULTS

Among the 387 women who received the first dose and were followed up for 30 days, injection site pain, fatigue, injection site swelling, muscle ache, and headache were the most prevalent side effects. There were 4.7-, 5.7-, 7.1-, and 9.3-fold increases in fatigue, injection site swelling, muscle ache, and headache, respectively, among the 231 women who received the second dose. Most of the side effects resolved by 14 days and all resolved by 30 days after each doses. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in obstetrical and neonatal morbidity or mortality between the vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts.

CONCLUSION

No serious adverse reactions were noted among pregnant women receiving messenger RNA vaccinations with comparable obstetrical and neonatal outcomes to unvaccinated pregnant women.

COVID-19 and Pregnancy: Have We Gotten through the Darkest Hour?

On December 2019, a new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was isolated and identified in Wuhan (China) [...].

Pregnancy and COVID-19

Evidence indicates that SARS-CoV-2 infection increases the likelihood of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Modifications in the circulatory, pulmonary, hormonal, and immunological pathways induced by pregnancy render pregnant women as a high-risk group. A growing body of research shows that SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is connected to a number of maternal complications, including pneumonia and intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization. Miscarriages, stillbirth, preterm labor, as well as pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction are also among the most often documented fetal implications, particularly among expecting women who have significant COVID-19 symptoms, often affecting the timing and route of delivery. Thus, prevention of infection and pharmacological treatment options should aim to minimize the aforementioned risks and ameliorate maternal, obstetric and fetal/neonatal outcomes.

Veno-venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for pregnant women with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: a narrative review

Acute respiratory distress syndrome remains an uncommon condition during pregnancy. In patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, when oxygenation or ventilation cannot be supported sufficiently using best practice conventional mechanical ventilation and additional therapies, veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may be considered. In the past two decades, there has been increasing adoption of this technique to support adult patients with refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, its use for the management of pregnant women is rare and remains a challenge. This narrative review addresses acute respiratory distress syndrome and its management during pregnancy, and then focuses on indications, contraindications, challenges, potential complications, and outcomes of the use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute respiratory distress syndrome in the pregnant patient.

Managing COVID-19 in pregnant women

Pregnant women are no more likely to contract coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) than the background population and two-thirds of those testing positive are asymptomatic [1, 2]. Risk factors for severe infection reflect those outside pregnancy and include being unvaccinated, aged >35 years, having a body mass index >25 kg·m⁻², having a medical comorbidity, being in the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnicity (BAME) population, and socioeconomic deprivation [1]. Pregnant women who develop moderate/severe disease are more likely to require hospitalisation and critical care admission, particularly in the third trimester [1].

Principles of management of COVID-19 in the general population apply in pregnancy with few exceptions. Clinical inertia can lead to preventable morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and should be recommended at any stage of pregnancy.https://bit.ly/3Rj8nWr