Pregnant women who catch Covid are seven times more likely to die, warns new research. They are also at a "significantly elevated" risk of being admitted to intensive care and 23 times more likely to develop pneumonia, according to the study published in BMJ Global Health.
In addition, the findings suggest that Covid during pregnancy also increases the risk that the baby will need to be admitted to intensive care. Scientists say their findings add urgency to calls for more women of childbearing age to get vaccinated.
Lead author Professor Emily Smith, of the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health in the US said: “This study provides the most comprehensive evidence to date suggesting that Covid-19 is a threat during pregnancy. “Our findings underscore the importance of Covid-19 vaccination for all women of childbearing age.”
Despite growing knowledge about the risks of Covid during pregnancy, many women of childbearing age remain unvaccinated. In some cases, women hesitate or refuse to get the vaccine or booster shot because they don’t think that the virus poses risks to young women or they feel unsure about the safety of the vaccine during pregnancy.
Prof Smith says some doctors may hesitate to give the vaccine to a pregnant woman, even though it is recommended. The research team pooled individual patient data from 12 studies conducted in 12 countries, involving more than 13,000 pregnant women.
They found that, compared to uninfected pregnant women, those infected by Covid were at seven times higher risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth. They were also at more than three times greater risk of being admitted to intensive care.
Pregnant women with Covid were also at around 15 times higher risk of needing ventilator treatment and at 23 times higher risk of developing pneumonia. They were also at more than five times higher risk of blood clots that can cause pain, swelling, or other life-threatening complications.
Babies born to women who were infected with Covid were almost twice as likely to be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit after birth, according to the findings. They were also at higher risk of being born prematurely.
Prof Smith said that, despite the very serious health risks, more than 80 countries still do not recommend that all pregnant women get the Covid jab. But she said the analysis provides public health officials and the public with "clear, consistent and compelling" findings.
Prof Smith added: “This study shows the risk of getting Covid-19 for both mother and baby.
“All countries should make access to Covid vaccines an urgent priority in order to save lives and prevent health problems.”
