Concomitant COVID 19 Infection And NTDS: 68 Patient Case Series

Abstract

Introduction: Documented articles have determined that viral illness during early pregnancy and several antiviral drugs are associated with an increased risk for neurodevelopmental congenital anomalies of the newborn. These include NTDs, the most common and severe malformations of spinal cord (spina bifida) or brain (anencephaly, encephalocele, hydrocephalus), which develop within 6 weeks of pregnancy with an incidence of one in 1000 neonates worldwide and they cause lifelong neurological complications. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics of simultaneous cases of COVID 19 in pregnant women with neural tube defects in their newborns. Patient and methods: This is descriptive study case series including cases of Neural Tube Defects when their mothers were affected with COVID-19 infection that was reported in Zahko Maternity hospital. Those in the labour unit were enrolled in this study and the cases was collected during the period 1st January 2020 and 1st January 2022. The information collected through direct interview with the mothers through questionnaire includes the information about the socio-demographic, obstetrical history and history of COVID 19 infection, severity presence of fever and type of medication received. Results: Regarding the general and obstetrical history of the patients, the current study revealed that the affected age group of mothers was as follows; 28 (41.2%) of them (26-30 years), and 15 (22.1) of them (> 35). Anemia and fever in the 1st trimester were found in 54 (79.4%) of them. Alcohol intake was reported in 2 (2.9%) of them, consanguinity in 19 (27.9%) of them, female newborns constituted 38 (55.9%), gestational diabetes mellitus in 1 (1.5%), diabetes mellitus in 6 (8.8%), and hypertension in 5 (7.4%). The drugs received during pregnancy, were as follows; antibiotics; all patients 100%; antihypertensive drugs received by 14 (20.6%), antipyretics 29 (42.6%), antacids 21 (30.9%), and antifungals 16 (23.5%). Conclusions: the COVID19 infection may be blamed as a cause of NTDs, and further research about the pathophysiology is needed. Keywords: Concomitant COVID 19 & Neural Tube Defects, Case Series of COVID 19 & Neural Tube Defects