COVID-19 and pregnancy: An opportunity to correct an historic gender bias

J Med Virol. 2021 Jan;93(1):22-24. doi: 10.1002/jmv.26350. Epub 2020 Aug 2.

Abstract

Current literature and clinical guidelines do not include pregnant women as an a priori risk group for COVID-19. However, a gender vision of health begs the question: Why are pregnant women not considered a risk group for COVID-19? The answer is clear: historically, most community scientific studies have not considered female gender, or pregnancy as a state, to be a focus of special interest or effort. Unfortunately, this bias seems to be maintained in the COVID-19 epidemic: most current guidelines for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy apply the same standard criteria as for the general population.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; female gender bias; pregnancy; vertical transmission.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology*
  • Pregnant Women*
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Selection Bias*
  • Sexism