New research suggests the coronavirus can invade and destroy the placenta and lead to stillbirths in infected women. It’s an uncommon outcome for any pregnancy but women with COVID-19 face an elevated risk.
Highlights
- Coronavirus can destroy the placenta and lead to stillbirths in infected pregnant women.
- Researchers in 12 countries analyzed placental and autopsy tissue from 64 stillbirth and four newborns who died shortly after birth.
- The cases all involved unvaccinated women who had COVID-19 during their pregnancy.
- The chances of stillbirth are higher than usual for pregnant women with the delta variant of the virus.
- Authorities believe vaccination can help prevent these cases and it is unclear whethermicron infections also increase chances for stillbirth, including high blood pressure, fetal abnormalities and fetal abnormalities.
- Stillbirths occur on average at 30 weeks; normal pregnancies last about 40 weeks.