Features of the course of COVID-19 viral infection during pregnancy

Physiological changes in the immune, cardiovascular and respiratory systems during pregnancy suggest that pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of pathogenic infectious agents and the development of severe infection, which, in turn, can lead to higher morbidity and mortality of the mother and fetus. Pregnant women with pneumonia are more likely to have premature births, premature babies with low body weight are born, and the frequency of cesarean section is higher. In addition, during pregnancy, the predisposition to the development of hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus increases, which are currently recognized risk factors for the development of severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. However, there is still insufficient data to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the health of pregnant women and newborns.