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.