Publication date: Jul 19, 2025
Background/Objectives: Pregnancy has been considered a risk factor for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. This study aimed to assess the clinical impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women managed at a Spanish tertiary care hospital across different phases of the pandemic. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Dr. Balmis General University Hospital (Alicante, Spain) between March 2020 and May 2023. All pregnant women who received hospital care with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were analyzed and compared with the 6120 total births recorded during the same period. Results: A total of 249 pregnant women with COVID-19 were included, with 30. 8%, 25. 0%, and 7. 9% hospitalized during each respective pandemic phase. The overall incidence of infection was 41 cases per 1000 births. Hospitalized pregnant women showed significantly higher rates of preterm birth, labor induction (70. 4% vs. 47. 0%; OR: 2. 67; 95% CI: 1. 12-6. 43), and cesarean delivery (46. 9% vs. 24. 9%, OR: 2. 60; 95% CI: 1. 27-5. 50). Neonatal outcomes included lower Apgar scores, increased admission to the neonatal unit (25. 8% vs. 8. 2%, p = 0. 007), and a higher rate of neonatal complications (23. 3% vs. 7. 7%, p = 0. 015). Maternal obesity and non-Spanish nationality were associated with more severe maternal disease. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization due to the infection (OR: 0. 30; 95% CI: 0. 13-0. 69). Conclusions: Pregnant women admitted with COVID-19 had increased risks of adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes, underscoring the importance of preventive strategies, such as vaccination.
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Hospitalization | cesarean delivery |
| Obesity | COVID-19 |
| Pregnant | maternal outcomes |
| Spanish | neonatal outcomes |
| pregnancy | |
| risk factors | |
| SARS-CoV-2 | |
| vaccination |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | Pregnancy Outcomes |
| pathway | REACTOME | SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| disease | MESH | infection |
| disease | MESH | preterm birth |
| disease | MESH | complications |
| disease | MESH | Maternal obesity |
| disease | IDO | history |
| disease | MESH | gestational diabetes |
| disease | MESH | preterm labor |
| disease | MESH | postpartum hemorrhage |
| disease | MESH | emergency |
| disease | IDO | country |
| disease | MESH | hypertension |
| disease | MESH | spontaneous abortion |
| disease | MESH | sore throat |
| disease | MESH | dyspnea |
| disease | MESH | anosmia |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Oxygen |
| disease | MESH | pneumonia |
| disease | MESH | maternal death |
| disease | MESH | anomalies |
| disease | IDO | blood |
| disease | MESH | neonatal death |
| disease | IDO | process |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Methionine |