Since before, pregnant women after week 20 are considered a risk group for covid-19. The National Board of Health and Welfare’s assessment from almost two years ago was primarily based on studies that showed that women who contracted the disease during the end of pregnancy have a greater risk than others of giving birth prematurely.
Over time, studies have indicated that covid-19 during pregnancy also increases the health risks for both the woman and the child.
Now it is confirmed by a new comprehensive study in the area.
Greater risk of intensive care
The researchers behind the study, which is published in the scientific journal BMJ, have analyzed 12 studies involving over 13,000 pregnant women from Ghana, China, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey, Uganda and the United States.
The good news is that, contrary to what some early reports pointed to, the researchers did not see that the virus seems to increase the risk of stillbirth.
However, the results show that women who get covid-19 during pregnancy have a greater risk of becoming seriously ill. Among other things, it was four times more common for pregnant women with covid-19 to end up in a situation where they needed intensive care, compared to non-infected women of the same age. Another example is that infected pregnant women were five times more likely to suffer serious blood clots.
At the same time, pregnant women are eight times more likely to die from the disease – although deaths are still very rare.
Javascript must be enabled to play video
The importance of vaccines
The researchers hope that the more comprehensive study will provide clearer clarity on the issue, on which there has not always been a consensus around the world. Above all, the benefits of vaccination.
To this day, there are over 80 countries that do not recommend pregnant and breastfeeding women to take the vaccine against covid-19, despite countless reports showing that there is nothing to indicate that the vaccine affects either the pregnant woman or the fetus negatively.
On the contrary, the vaccine not only protects pregnant women against serious illness, but also reduces the risk of early delivery.
“The results underline the need for further efforts worldwide to prevent covid-19 during pregnancy through targeted vaccination efforts,” the researchers write in a press release.
In Sweden, the Public Health Agency recommends that the vaccination be done after the 12th week of pregnancy.
