Jahnavi Sarma
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Some studies have suggested that pregnant women with COVID-19 are more likely to give birth prematurely. @Shutterstock
There have been conflicting reports about the effect of COVID-19 on pregnant women. But, data till reveals that there is a low rate of infection among pregnant women. But now a new Northwestern Medicine study says that this disease may cause injury to the placenta. This has serious implications. This is the largest study to examine the health of placentas in women who tested positive for COVID-19. Placentas from 16 women who tested positive for COVID-19 while pregnant showed evidence of injury, according to pathological exams completed directly following birth.
The type of injury seen in the placentas shows abnormal blood flow between the mothers and their babies in utero, pointing to a new complication of COVID-19. The findings, though early, could help inform how pregnant women should be clinically monitored during the pandemic. The journal American Journal of Clinical Pathology published this study.
Researchers notice two common abnormalities in the placenta of the patients: Insufficient blood flow from the mother to the fetus with abnormal blood vessels called maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) and blood clots in the placenta, called intervillous thrombi. In normal cases of MVM, the mother's blood pressure is higher than normal. This condition is typically seen in women with preeclampsia or hypertension. Interestingly, only one of the 15 patients in this study had preeclampsia or hypertension.
According to researchers, "There is an emerging consensus that there are problems with coagulation and blood vessel injury in COVID-19 patients." They suspect that there might be something clot-forming about coronavirus, and it's happening in the placenta.
According to researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, "Most of these babies were delivered full-term after otherwise normal pregnancies, so you wouldn't expect to find anything wrong with the placentas, but this virus appears to be inducing some injury in the placenta." They further add that it doesn't appear to be inducing negative outcomes in live-born infants. But it does validate the idea that women with COVID should be monitored more closely.
This increased monitoring might come in the form of non-stress tests, which examine how well the placenta is delivering oxygen, or growth ultrasounds, which measure if the baby is growing at a healthy rate. Researchers say that the findings are significant. They agree that the need of the hour is better monitoring of pregnant women.
The placenta transports oxygen and nutrients from the mother's blood stream to the foetus. It is responsible for many of the hormonal changes within the mother's body too. According to experts, it acts like a ventilator for the foetus. Any damage to it can lead to negative outcomes.
If you are pregnant, you need to take extra precautions. Wash your hands frequently and practice social distancing. Avoid contact with others as much as possible. Get your vaccinations and don't ignore any symptoms of respiratory illness. If you catch a cold, use a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the dustbin and wash your hands right after. Don't neglect prenatal consultations.