Background: Limited U.S. reports of pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection describe a few critical cases and no maternal mortality.
Case: A 36-year-old patient at 37 weeks of gestation presented with shortness of breath, fever, cough, and sore throat for 1 week. Within 3 hours of admission, she experienced respiratory distress, required intubation, and underwent cesarean delivery and transfer to the intensive care unit. She subsequently decompensated, with multiorgan failure, sepsis, and cardiopulmonary arrest within 36 hours, despite aggressive supportive care and investigational therapies.
Conclusion: A pregnant patient with COVID-19 infection can experience a rapid onset of critical complications that may prove fatal, despite an indolent presentation. The pathogenesis leading to rapid deterioration is unknown.