Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.4
3.9
Journals
JCM
Special Issues
SARS-CoV-2 in Pregnancy and Reproduction
share announcement

SARS-CoV-2 in Pregnancy and Reproduction

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2024) | Viewed by 5058

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Justin C. Konje

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
Interests: infections in pregnancy and prenatal diagnosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Badreldeen Ahmed

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Ar-Rayyan, Qatar
Interests: prenatal diagnosis and infections in pregnancy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), following the first report in December 2019 of in Wuhan, China, and declared as a pandemic by the WHO on 11 March 2020 it has infected nearly 400 million people and killed over 5.7 million worldwide, according to the latest update from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease known as COVID-19 has spread rapidly to almost every country in the world. COVID-19 is associated with significant morbidity and mortality not only in the vulnerable but also in adults with co-morbidities. Pregnancy, a state of immunosuppression and one often complicated by co-morbidities, unsurprisingly, therefore, is associated with poorer outcomes when complicated by SARS-2-CoV infections. Furthermore, the severity of the infection on the mother has consequences on the fetus, which include prematurity and low birth weight. Since the outbreak in 2019, there continues to be multiple publications on reflecting our understanding of the virus and its consequences on the patient improves and its prevention and management.

In this series on COVID-19 and Pregnancy and Reproduction, we invite studies whose results will provide a better understanding and management of COVID-19 in pregnancy or review articles that would be authoritative both on the biology of the virus including mutagenesis, diagnostics, prevention (including immunisation) and management.

Prof. Dr. Justin C. Konje
Dr. Badreldeen Ahmed
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Prof. Dr. Justin C. Konje
Dr. Badreldeen Ahmed
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • coronavirus
  • pregnancy
  • reproduction
  • vaccination
  • mutagenesis

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

11 pages, 534 KiB  
Article
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Positivity on Delivery Outcomes for Pregnant Women between 2020 and 2021: A Single-Center Population-Based Analysis
by Raffaele Palladino, Federica Balsamo, Michelangelo Mercogliano, Michele Sorrentino, Marco Monzani, Rosanna Egidio, Antonella Piscitelli, Anna Borrelli, Giuseppe Bifulco and Maria Triassi
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(24), 7709; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12247709 - 15 Dec 2023
Viewed by 755
Abstract
Despite the existing body of evidence, there is still limited knowledge about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 positivity on delivery outcomes. We aimed to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in women who gave birth at the University Hospital “Federico II” of Naples, Italy, [...] Read more.
Despite the existing body of evidence, there is still limited knowledge about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 positivity on delivery outcomes. We aimed to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in women who gave birth at the University Hospital “Federico II” of Naples, Italy, between 2020 and 2021. We conducted a retrospective single-center population-based observational study to assess the differences in the caesarean section and preterm labor rates and the length of stay between women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and those who tested negative at the time of labor. We further stratified the analyses considering the time period, dividing them into three-month intervals, and changes in SARS-CoV-2 as the most prevalent variant. The study included 5236 women with 353 positive cases. After vaccination availability, only 4% had undergone a complete vaccination cycle. The Obstetric Comorbidity Index was higher than 0 in 41% of the sample. When compared with negative women, positive ones had 80% increased odds of caesarean section, and it was confirmed by adjusting for the SARS-CoV-2 variant. No significant differences were found in preterm birth risks. The length of stay was 11% higher in positive cases but was not significant after adjusting for the SARS-CoV-2 variant. When considering only positive women in the seventh study period (July–September 2021), they had a 61% decrease in the odds of receiving a caesarean section compared to the fourth (October–December 2020). Guidelines should be implemented to improve the safety and efficiency of the delivery process, considering the transition of SARS-CoV-2 from pandemic to endemic. Furthermore, these guidelines should aim to improve the management of airborne infections in pregnant women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue SARS-CoV-2 in Pregnancy and Reproduction)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 598 KiB  
Article
Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection at Delivery Increases IL-6 Concentration in Umbilical Cord Blood
by Katarzyna Kosińska-Kaczyńska, Beata Rebizant, Hanna Czeszko-Paprocka, Agata Bojdo, Maciej Przybylski, Katarzyna Chaberek, Agnieszka Lewandowska, Iwona Szymusik and Robert Brawura-Biskupski-Samaha
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(17), 5672; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12175672 - 31 Aug 2023
Viewed by 925
Abstract
Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women may induce inflammation within the amniotic cavity and/or an increase in proinflammatory cytokines in fetal circulation. The aim was to investigate levels of IL-6 in maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, and amniotic fluid in pregnant women infected [...] Read more.
Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women may induce inflammation within the amniotic cavity and/or an increase in proinflammatory cytokines in fetal circulation. The aim was to investigate levels of IL-6 in maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, and amniotic fluid in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 at delivery. Methods: A single-center prospective observational case–control study of pregnant women diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection at delivery was conducted. A total of 48 infected and 42 healthy women had IL-6 concentrations measured in their blood, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood. Results: The concentrations of IL-6 in maternal blood and amniotic fluid were similar in the study and control groups, while umbilical cord blood concentrations were significantly higher in SARS-CoV-2-positive women. The umbilical cord blood IL-6 concentration was related to composite neonatal morbidity. Conclusions: Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women at delivery increases umbilical cord blood IL-6 concentration. The correlation between maternal and umbilical blood concentrations indicates a possibility of passage of IL-6 through the placenta. Perinatal alterations resulting from maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection at delivery carry a risk of impacting the health of infants even in asymptomatic course of infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue SARS-CoV-2 in Pregnancy and Reproduction)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

16 pages, 701 KiB  
Review
Managing Labour in Women with COVID-19
by Victor Ngozi Chilaka, Osric Navti, Albert Opoku, Gbemisola O. Okunoye, Isaac Babarinsa, Olusegun Abiodun Odukoya, Abdulmalik Bako, Abdul Kareem Pullatttayl Sulaiman and Manoj Mohan
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(12), 3980; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12123980 - 12 Jun 2023
Viewed by 2207
Abstract
Since first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, COVID-19 caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Corona virus2 (SARS CoV-2) quickly spread to become a pandemic that has caused significant morbidity and mortality. The rapidity of the spread of the virus and [...] Read more.
Since first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, COVID-19 caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Corona virus2 (SARS CoV-2) quickly spread to become a pandemic that has caused significant morbidity and mortality. The rapidity of the spread of the virus and the high mortality at the outset threatened to overwhelm health systems worldwide, and, indeed, this significantly impacted maternal health, especially since there was minimal experience to draw from. Experience with Covid 19 has grown exponentially as the unique needs of pregnant and labouring women with COVID-19 infection have become more evident. Managing COVID-19 parturients requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of anaesthesiologists, obstetricians, neonatologists, nursing staff, critical care staff, infectious disease and infection control experts. There should be a clear policy on triaging patients depending on the severity of their condition and the stage of labour. Those at high risk of respiratory failure should be managed in a tertiary referral centre with facilities for intensive care and assisted respiration. Staff and patients in delivery suites and operating rooms should be protected by enforcing infection protection principles such as offering dedicated rooms and theatres to SARS CoV-2 positive patients and using personal protective equipment. All hospital staff must be trained in infection control measures which should be updated regularly. Breastfeeding and care of the new-born must be part of the healthcare package offered to COVID-19 parturient mothers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue SARS-CoV-2 in Pregnancy and Reproduction)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

11 pages, 1030 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Meta-Analysis of the Global Stillbirth Rates during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Manoj Mohan, Kwabena Appiah-Sakyi, Ashok Oliparambil, Abdul Kareem Pullattayil, Stephen W. Lindow, Badreldeen Ahmed and Justin C. Konje
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(23), 7219; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12237219 - 21 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 835
Abstract
COVID-19 has been shown to have variable adverse effects on pregnancy. Reported data on stillbirth rates during the pandemic have, however, been inconsistent—some reporting a rise and others no change. Knowing the precise impact of COVID-19 on stillbirths should help with the planning [...] Read more.
COVID-19 has been shown to have variable adverse effects on pregnancy. Reported data on stillbirth rates during the pandemic have, however, been inconsistent—some reporting a rise and others no change. Knowing the precise impact of COVID-19 on stillbirths should help with the planning and delivery of antenatal care. Our aim was, therefore, to undertake a meta-analysis to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the stillbirth rate. Databases searched included PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Web of Science, with no language restriction. Publications with stillbirth data on women with COVID-19, comparing stillbirth rates in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 women, as well as comparisons before and during the pandemic, were included. Two independent reviewers extracted data separately and then compared them to ensure the accuracy of extraction and synthesis. Where data were incomplete, authors were contacted for additional information, which was included if provided. The main outcome measures were (1) stillbirth (SB) rate in pregnant women with COVID-19, (2) stillbirth rates in pregnant women with and without COVID-19 during the same period, and (3) population stillbirth rates in pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. A total of 29 studies were included in the meta-analysis; from 17 of these, the SB rate was 7 per 1000 in women with COVID-19. This rate was much higher (34/1000) in low- and middle-income countries. The odds ratio of stillbirth in COVID-19 compared to non-COVID-19 pregnant women was 1.89. However, there was no significant difference in population SB between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Stillbirths are an ongoing global concern, and there is evidence that the rate has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but mostly in low- and middle-income countries. A major factor for this is possibly access to healthcare during the pandemic. Attention should be focused on education and the provision of high-quality maternity care, such as face-to-face consultation (taking all the preventative precautions) or remote appointments where appropriate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue SARS-CoV-2 in Pregnancy and Reproduction)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop