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Effect of pregnancy on COVID-19 severity: A retrospective cohort study in Ethiopia
Abstract
Background: There is a scarcity of data on the clinical features, severity of disease and treatment outcomes of COVID-19 during pregnancy in Sub-Saharan Africa. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate illness severity and pregnancy.
Methods: Between May 21, 2020 and May 20, 2021, medical records were reviewed as part of this single-center retrospective cohort study. Descriptive statistics, including chi-square tests, two independent sample t-tests, and the Mann-Whitney U test, were used as needed. A Poisson regression was also done to determine the effect of pregnancy on severity independently.
Results: There were no differences in the comorbidities between pregnant and non-pregnant groups, except for hypertension, which was more common among non-pregnant women. Pregnant women had a greater number of headaches, myalgia, and anosmia. In the pregnant group, absolute lymphocyte counts below 1000/mm3 , and platelet counts below 150,000/mm3 were more common. Regarding the severity of the diseases, there were similarities between the groups. There was no difference between the groups in terms of disease severity, in-patient care unit admission, type of treatment given, and mortality. Non-pregnant women, however, have a shorter length of hospital stay. Two (5.0 %) of the 40 patients who gave birth at the study facility had a neonatal outcome of death. In a multivariable regression analysis, there was no association between pregnancy and disease severity.
Conclusion: Although some of the symptoms and laboratory factors were more prevalent in pregnant women, pregnancy was not found to affect severity or mortality from COVID-19
