Journal of Pregnancy (Jan 2024)

Medication Use Among Pregnant Women With SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Risk of Hospitalization—A Study in Two Brazilian Hospitals

  • Ricardo Rohweder,
  • Natálya G. Pereira,
  • Bruna H. Micheletti,
  • Jéssica Mosello,
  • Júlia R. M. Campos,
  • Matheus G. Pereira,
  • Cristina N. Santos,
  • Natália L. Simões,
  • Regina L. B. Matielo,
  • Lisandra S. Bernardes,
  • Maria L. R. Oppermann,
  • Maria C. O. Wender,
  • Angela Lupattelli,
  • Hedvig Nordeng,
  • Lavinia Schuler-Faccini

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/8915166
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2024

Abstract

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There is limited evidence about the use of medications among pregnant women with COVID-19, as well as risk factors for hospitalization due to COVID-19 in pregnancy. We aimed to describe the use of medications among SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnant women at the time around infection and identify predictors for hospitalization due to COVID-19 in two hospitals in Brazil. This is a hospital record-based study among pregnant women with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests between March 2020 and August 2022 from two Brazilian hospitals. Characteristics of sociodemographic, obstetrical, and COVID-19 symptoms were extracted retrospectively. The prevalence use of medications was based on self-reported use, and this was administered at the hospital. Logistic regression was used to estimate predictors of hospitalization due to COVID-19. There were 278 pregnant women included in the study, of which 41 (14.7%) required hospitalization due to COVID-19. The remaining 237 (85.3%) had mild symptoms or were asymptomatic. Most of the women had the infection in the third trimester (n=149; 53.6%). The most prevalent medications used across all trimesters were analgesics (2.4% to 20.0%), antibacterials (15.0% to 23.1%), and corticosteroids (7.2% to 10.4%). Pre- or gestational hypertensive disorder (odds ratio (OR) 4.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.65, 14.87) and having at least one dose of vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04, 0.39) were associated with hospitalization due to COVID-19. Analgesics, antibacterials, and corticosteroids were the most frequently used medications among pregnant women with COVID-19. Women with hypertensive disorders have almost a five-fold increased risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19. Vaccination was the strongest protective factor for severe COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women should be promoted, and pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 who have hypertensive disorders should be closely monitored.