TITLE:
Maternal and Foetal Outcome among Pregnant Women Infected with COVID-19 in Three Referral Hospitals in Cameroon
AUTHORS:
William Ako Takang, Cho Joseline Nyuykighan, Dobgima Walters Pisoh, Dobgima Walters Pisoh, Robinson Enow Mbu
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Pregnancy, Maternal, Foetal, Outcome
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.13 No.3,
March
31,
2023
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Pregnancy is generally known to be an immune
compromised state, thus placing pregnant women at risk of SARS-COV-2 infection.
We therefore carried out this study to assess the maternal and foetal outcomes
among pregnant women infected with COVID-19 in three referral hospitals in
Cameroon. Methodology: This was a hospital-based retrospective case
control study covering a two-year period. Data collection was done over a
duration of four months at the Yaoundé Central Hospital, Douala
Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital and the Bamenda Regional Hospital.
Cases were pregnant women who gave birth after a confirmed COVID-19 infection,
matched 1:2 by age (±1 year) and parity (±1) to pregnant women not infected by
COVID-19, who gave birth at the three hospitals within the same period. Results: The rate of caesarean section delivery among our cases was 52.4% as
compared to 44.3% among controls (OR, 1.38, 95% CI, 0.74 - 2.60, P = 0.296).
Maternal mortality rate in our cases was at 8.2% as compared to 6.6% in controls
(OR, 1.60, 95% CI, 0.50 - 5.12, P = 0.422). The rate of preterm delivery in our
cases was 24.6% as compared to 11.5% in the control group (OR, 2.39, 95% CI, 1.05
- 5.42, P = 0.025). Perinatal death rate in our study was recorded at 8.2% as
compared to 3.4% in the controls (OR, 2.63, 95% CI, 0.68 - 10.18, PS = 0.162) Conclusion: Pregnant women infected with COVID-19 were found to have higher risks of
preterm delivery and acute foetal distress as compared to pregnant women who were
not infected. Caesarean section deliveries, maternal and foetal mortality were
higher in COVID-19 infected pregnant women as compared to those not though
these findings were not statistically significant.