1- Nursing Care Research Center (NCRC), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran. , imani-a@medilam.ac.ir
Abstract: (1217 Views)
On March 11 2020, the World Health Organization declared that coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) was a worldwide pandemic (1). This virus belongs to the group of beta-
coronaviruses (2). At first it appeared that people aged over 60 yr had a higher risk of
respiratory disabilities and death as a result of COVID-19 infection (3), but that pregnant
women were not adversely affected (4). Then later, pregnant women were classified as
an at-risk group; recently a report showed that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy can
lead to adverse clinical consequences including maternal disease and life-threatening
complications. Some mothers infected with COVID-19 have required hospitalization,
intensive care, and invasive/noninvasive ventilation. Also spontaneous abortion, perinatal
death, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm delivery, and admission to the NICU are
possible (5). COVID-19 infection in pregnant women with severe respiratory signs and
symptoms is usually accompanied by maternal and neonatal adverse health consequences:
low birth weight, preterm birth, maternal mortality, and eclampsia (6, 7). Undoubtedly,
pregnant women experience a worsening of signs and symptoms throughout and after
pregnancy when infected with COVID-19 (8, 9). Adverse results of this specific condition
are stress, anxiety, forced isolation, loneliness, and depression, which are heightened in
pregnant women (10, 11). These women have additional concerns about their own and
their unborn baby’s health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictive public health actions
were implemented to reduce community transmission: quarantine implementations, border
closures and travel bans, isolation and physical distancing, interaction limitation, and
decreased access to social support (12, 13). Coronavirus is rapidly spreading around the
world and its psychological effects are increasing gradually (14). Certainly, COVID-19, as a
novel coronavirus, is responsible for overwhelming emotional and psychological changes.
During this pandemic, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups are unprotected from
the high levels of stress and other psychological disorders.
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