The relationship between maternal COVID-19 with fetal and neonatal complications and intrauterine vertical transmission: A cohort study on pregnant women.

Publication date: Jul 16, 2025

The clinical features, maternal and fetal complications, and the potential for vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women are still unknown. This cohort study aimed to determine the relation of coronavirus infection to the incidence of fetal and neonatal complications by comparing outcomes in pregnant women with COVID-19 to those in non-infected pregnant women. This prospective cohort study was conducted on all pregnant women who gave birth between September 2020 to September 2021 at Rouhani Hospital, Iran. The case group included pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, confirmed by clinical signs, symptoms and positive result of Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR), who were followed up until 72 hours after birth. All fetal and neonatal complications, such as premature birth, oligohydramnios, fetal growth restriction, perinatal death and vertical transmission were recorded. Risk ratios for adverse pregnancy outcomes were analyzed by a modified Poisson regression model adjusted for relevant variables. The final sample included 234 pregnant women (100 COVID-19 infected and 134 non-infected). The mean age was 29. 42 +/- 6. 16 years (p = 0. 12), and the mean BMI (body mass index) was 26. 51 +/- 4. 16) Kg/m2 (p = 0. 30). Cesarean delivery was more common among women with COVID -19 [adjusted risk ratio (aRR): 1. 12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1. 09-1. 25, p = 0. 03]. A significant increase was observed in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women compared to non-infected pregnant women [adjusted risk ratio (aRR):2. 46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1. 06-5. 42, P = 0. 034]. Neonate born to women with COVID-19 had significantly higher rate of preterm birth (22% versus 11. 2%) and low 5 minutes APGAR score (2% versus 0%) significantly (P 

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Concepts Keywords
Coronavirus Adult
Death Cohort Studies
Iran COVID-19
Pcr Female
Pregnancy Humans
Infant, Newborn
Iran
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
Pregnancy Outcome
Premature Birth
Prospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease MESH COVID-19
disease MESH complications
pathway REACTOME SARS-CoV-2 Infection
disease MESH coronavirus infection
disease MESH premature birth
disease MESH oligohydramnios
disease MESH fetal growth restriction
disease MESH perinatal death
disease MESH pregnancy outcomes
disease MESH Long Covid
pathway REACTOME Reproduction
disease MESH privacy
drug DRUGBANK Ethionamide
disease MESH Non Communicable Diseases
disease MESH Infertility
disease MESH Infectious Diseases
drug DRUGBANK Coenzyme M
disease MESH Infectious Disease Transmission Vertical
disease MESH Complications Infectious Pregnancy

Original Article

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