Pregnant women, hospitalised with COVID-19 are less likely to manifest common virus symptoms like fever or muscle pain than non-pregnant women of the same age, and may be at an increased risk of intensive care admission, an international study into the impacts of COVID on pregnancy has found.

The living systematic review, which was a collaboration between experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and The University of Birmingham analysed existing evidence from 77 studies in order to answer a series of research questions on how the virus affects women during and after pregnancy. Overall, the study analysed the outcomes of 11,432 pregnant and recently pregnant women from the USA, Europe, Central and South-East Asia and South America.

The study found that as well as being less likely to show symptoms, pregnant women who test positive for the SARS-COV2 virus may be at an increased risk of admission to intensive care units, and more likely to experience pre-term birth than similar aged pregnant women. Results also showed that a quarter of babies born to mothers with the virus were admitted to neonatal units, but importantly, stillbirth and newborn fatality rates were low.

For more information please contact Sophie Belcher, Communications Manager, University of Birmingham, on +44 7815607157. Alternatively, contact the Press Office out of hours on +44 (0)7789 921165.