Evaluation of mortality and morbidity of inpatient pregnant women with COVID-19 in vaccinated and unvaccinated groups

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has become an urgent issue in every country. Identifying severe COVID-19 cases is crucial, especially given the limited healthcare infrastructure, to prioritize hospitalization for patients with higher disease severity. While data on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women is still evolving, it is known that pregnant women may be at higher risk for adverse health outcomes compared to the general population due to physiological changes during pregnancy and a relatively suppressed immune status. Therefore, this study aims to further examine this group of patients to clarify the outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted from April 21, 2023, to June 18, 2023. All symptomatic pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 in both vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, who were hospitalized during the study period at Al-Zahra, Taleghani, and Imam Reza educational and medical centers in Tabriz, were included in the study. Patients were categorized into vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, as well as single-dose and double-dose vaccination groups. Demographic data, as well as data on patient mortality before discharge, length of hospital stay, vital signs at the time of hospital admission, and maternal morbidity, were recorded. Ultimately, the relationship between vaccination and morbidity, length of stay, mortality due to COVID-19, and other recorded variables was examined. Results: The analysis reveals that pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19, particularly those who are unvaccinated, face significantly higher risks. Vaccinated pregnant women showed a notable reduction in mortality rates and ICU stay durations, although there was no significant difference in morbidity rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. When comparing single-dose and double-dose vaccination regimens, morbidity rates and ICU stay durations did not exhibited a significant correlation with the number of vaccine doses.