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

Mult Scler. 2024 May;30(6):707-713. doi: 10.1177/13524585241232266. Epub 2024 Mar 8.

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; Multiple sclerosis; SARS-CoV-2 infection; fetal outcomes; maternal outcomes; pregnancy.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Spontaneous* / epidemiology
  • Adult
  • COVID-19* / complications
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Multiple Sclerosis* / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Outcome* / epidemiology
  • Turkey / epidemiology