How does COVID affect pregnancy?
It is known that COVID-19 can have devastating effects on the body. In a recent study, a team of researchers further sought to determine what impact, if any, COVID-19 has on pregnancy, and specifically on liver function, a common health impact in severe COVID-19 infections.
Researchers looked at the mother’s health as well as neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with COVID-19 complicated by liver dysfunction. They then compared them with pregnant women with COVID-19 and normal liver function. Characteristics such as age, risk factors for disease, and period of gestation were also taken into account.
Out of the total 249 pregnant women in the study, nearly 43% -- or 107 -- had abnormal liver function. As a result, these women had significantly higher levels of certain biomarkers and total bilirubin levels, which then appeared to have an effect on births: 18 had a preterm birth, one child died during birth and four miscarried. There were additional complications, including postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, and multiorgan failure.
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