Factors associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome in pregnant/postpartum women with COVID-19 receiving care at referral centers in northeastern Brazil: Secondary analysis of a cohort study.

Background: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the greater risks associated with the new SARS-CoV-2 pathogen in pregnant women were as yet unclear. This study analyzed factors associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in pregnant/postpartum women with COVID-19.

Methods: A prospective and retrospective cohort study was conducted in eight referral centers in northeastern Brazil between April 2020 and December 2021 involving pregnant/postpartum women with a positive COVID-19 RT-PCR test. A multivariate analysis was then conducted using a hierarchical logistic regression model to evaluate the association between the independent variables and the presence of SARS.

Findings: Of 611 patients included, 522 were pregnant and 83 were postpartum, at the time of admission. Criteria for SARS were present in 215 patients (35·2%). Factors associated with SARS included overweight and/or obesity (adjusted odds ratio/AOR: 1·95; 95%CI: 1·21-3·12; p = 0·0054), parity ≥2 (AOR: 1·72; 95%CI: 1·21-2·45; p = 0·0025), gestational age <34 weeks (AOR: 3·54; 95%CI: 2·47-5·07; p < 0·0001) and duration of symptoms >7 days (AOR: 1·97; 95%CI: 1·35-2·89; p = 0·0004). SARS increased the likelihood of requiring oxygen therapy (RR = 8·80; 95%CI: 6·25-12·40; p = 0·0000), mechanical ventilation (RR = 8·15; 95%CI: 4·67-14·21; p = 0·0000), and admission to an ICU (RR = 6·54; 95%CI: 4·70-9·11; p = 0·0000), and of maternal near miss (RR = 10·82; 95%CI: 1·20-22·47; p = 0·0000) and maternal death (RR = 8·12; 95%CI: 3·11-21·09; p = 0·0000).

Interpretation: In patients with COVID-19, parity ≥2, overweight/obesity, gestational age <34 weeks and duration of symptoms >7 days increased the risk of SARS. Cesarean sections, oxygen therapy, and mechanical ventilation were more common in patients with SARS.