Impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and fetal outcomes in women with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Background: In the general population, maternal COVID-19 is associated with worse maternal and fetal outcomes. Two previous studies have assessed COVID-19 clinical outcomes in pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS), but there are no data about maternal and fetal outcomes. Objectives: In this multicenter study, we aimed to assess maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnant women with MS and COVID-19 infection. Methods: We recruited pregnant patients with MS who contracted COVID-19 and were followed up in Italian and Turkish Centers, during 2020–2022. A control group was extracted from a previous Italian cohort. Associations between group (COVID-19 or healthy patients) and clinical outcomes (maternal complications, fetal malformations, and spontaneous abortion) were investigated with a weighted logistic regression where propensity score–based inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) approach was applied for adjusting for difference in baseline confounders. Results: In the multivariable analysis, COVID-19 during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of maternal complications (odd ratio (OR) = 2.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.32–3.48; p = 0.002), while it was not associated with higher risk of spontaneous abortion and fetal malformations. Conclusion: Our data indicate that COVID-19 during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal complications, while it seems to have no significant impact on fetal outcomes.