Maternal and Foetal Outcome among Pregnant Women Infected with COVID-19 in Three Referral Hospitals in Cameroon

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnancy is generally known to be an immune compromised state, thus placing pregnant women at risk of SARS-COV-2 infection. We therefore carried out this study to assess the maternal and foetal outcomes among pregnant women infected with COVID-19 in three referral hospitals in Cameroon. Methodology: This was a hospital-based retrospective case control study covering a two-year period. Data collection was done over a duration of four months at the Yaoundé Central Hospital, Douala Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital and the Bamenda Regional Hospital. Cases were pregnant women who gave birth after a confirmed COVID-19 infection, matched 1:2 by age (±1 year) and parity (±1) to pregnant women not infected by COVID-19, who gave birth at the three hospitals within the same period. Results: The rate of caesarean section delivery among our cases was 52.4% as compared to 44.3% among controls (OR, 1.38, 95% CI, 0.74 - 2.60, P = 0.296). Maternal mortality rate in our cases was at 8.2% as compared to 6.6% in controls (OR, 1.60, 95% CI, 0.50 - 5.12, P = 0.422). The rate of preterm delivery in our cases was 24.6% as compared to 11.5% in the control group (OR, 2.39, 95% CI, 1.05 - 5.42, P = 0.025). Perinatal death rate in our study was recorded at 8.2% as compared to 3.4% in the controls (OR, 2.63, 95% CI, 0.68 - 10.18, PS = 0.162) Conclusion: Pregnant women infected with COVID-19 were found to have higher risks of preterm delivery and acute foetal distress as compared to pregnant women who were not infected. Caesarean section deliveries, maternal and foetal mortality were higher in COVID-19 infected pregnant women as compared to those not though these findings were not statistically significant.