Outcomes in mothers who develop COVID-19 Pneumonia
There is a significant understanding that the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 infection are similar in the pregnant female and their counterpart cohort. Studies have evaluated that pregnant mothers may develop postpartum fever and chest radiography similar to non-pregnant females. The common symptoms include fever, dry cough, myalgia, fatigue, dyspnea and anorexia1, 24, 26, 30. Liu D et al evaluated if the pneumonia aggravated in mothers after giving birth to their off-springs. The authors obtained chest CT-scan images before and after delivery and concluded that there was no significant difference between the two radiographs20.
However, some believe that mothers who develop SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy are more predisposed to complications for themselves and their fetus. These include, but are not limited to rupture of membranes, preterm delivery, respiratory distress, fetal distress, coagulopathy accompanied by liver dysfunction and in severe cases, the death of the mother 15. Hyperpyrexia can cause miscarriage in first and early second trimester and cause intrauterine death in late second and the third trimester. Hence fever control is very important during the infection and can be achieved by paracetamol or cold sponging or both.