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COVID-19 in pregnancy not linked with stillbirth or baby death

  • 25 February 2021
  • 1 min read

COVID-19 infection in pregnancy is not associated with stillbirth or early neonatal death, according to a new study.

However, the research, from over 4,000 pregnant women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, also found women who had a positive test were more likely to have a premature birth.

The research found that no babies died from COVID-19 in the study. There was also no increase in risk of stillbirth or low birth weight.

In UK data, 12% of women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 had a pre-term delivery, birth before 37 weeks. This was 60% higher than the national average rate of 7.5%.

In US data, 15.7% of women had a pre-term birth, 57% higher than the US national average of 10%.

The study team say part of this association may be due to doctors deciding to deliver the baby early due to concerns about the effect of COVID-19 infection on mother and baby. The rate of spontaneous pre-term birth was lower than expected.

Data included 189 women cared for at hospitals in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire.

Read more on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website.

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