Covid during pregnancy increases major health risks: Study

According to new research published in BMJ Global Health, pregnant women infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 have 7 times increased chance of dying and a considerably increased risk of being admitted to an intensive care unit or suffering from pneumonia. The study also reveals that COVID-19 during pregnancy increases the risk that the new born baby may need to be admitted to intensive care. “This study provides the most comprehensive evidence to date suggesting that COVID-19 is a threat during pregnancy,” Emily R. Smith, an assistant professor of global health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and lead author of the study, said. “Our findings underscore the importance of COVID-19 vaccination for all women of childbearing age.” Despite growing knowledge about the risks of COVID-19 during pregnancy, many women of childbearing age in the United States and other countries remain unvaccinated. In some cases, women hesitate or refuse to get the vaccine or booster shot because they don’t think COVID-19 poses risks to young women or they feel unsure about the safety of the vaccine during pregnancy.