Project description:BackgroundPregnant individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at increased risk of severe disease, prematurity, and stillbirth. In March 2021, vaccination for at risk pregnant women was recommended in Switzerland, expanding this to all pregnant women in May 2021. Our aim was to assess the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy.MethodsThis multicentre prospective cohort study describes early adverse events and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women who received at least one dose of mRNA vaccine between March 1st and December 27th, 2021 in Switzerland, using the COVI-PREG registry. Early adverse events were collected at least one month following vaccine administration. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were extracted from medical records using the maternity discharge letters providing follow-up information up to 5 days after birth.FindingsOf 1012 vaccinated women, 894 (88·3%) received both injections during pregnancy, with BNT162b2 (n = 271) or mRNA-1273 (n = 623) vaccines. Local events (mainly local pain) were reported in 81·3% and 80·5% after the first and second doses. Rates of systemic reactions (mainly fatigue and headache) were similar after the first dose and most frequent after the second dose of mRNA-1273. Of the 1012 women, four (0·4%; 95%CI [0·1-1·0]) severe early adverse events occurred: pulmonary embolism, preterm premature rupture of membranes, isolated fever with hospitalisation, and herpes zoster. Of 107 patients vaccinated before 14 weeks, one (0·9%; 95%CI [0·0-5·1]) early spontaneous abortions was reported (8 weeks). Of 228 vaccinated before 20 weeks one (0·4%; 95%CI [0·0-2·4]) late spontaneous abortion was reported (16 weeks). Of 513 women exposed before 37 weeks, 33 (6·4%; 95%CI [4·5-8·9]) delivered preterm. Among 530 patients exposed in pregnancy, no stillbirth was reported and 25 (4·7%; 95%CI [3·0-6·8]) neonates were admitted to intensive care unit.InterpretationFrequent local and systemic effects were described after exposure to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy but severe events were rare. Women vaccinated during pregnancy did not experience higher adverse pregnancy or neonatal outcomes when compared to historical data on background risks in the obstetric population.FundingThis research was funded by a grant from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and the CHUV Foundation.
Project description:PurposeWomen infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy are at increased risk of developing severe illness and experience a higher rate of preterm births than pregnant women who are not infected. The use of innovative or repurposed therapies to treat COVID-19 patients is widespread; however, there are very limited data regarding the patterns of use and safety profile of most of these therapeutics in pregnant women. We assessed the patterns of use of COVID-19 therapeutics during pregnancy using data from the International Registry of Coronavirus in Pregnancy (IRCEP).MethodsThe IRCEP is an international observational cohort study intended to assess the risk of major obstetric and neonatal outcomes among pregnant women with COVID-19. Women enrolled while pregnant or within 6 months after end of pregnancy. Follow-up for women enrolled while pregnant includes monthly online questionnaires throughout the pregnancy and, for live births, through the infant's first 90 days of life. Participants provide information on demographic characteristics, health history, COVID-19 tests and symptoms, medications, and obstetric and neonatal outcomes.ResultsA total of 5780 women with COVID-19 during pregnancy were identified from the IRCEP. Severity of COVID-19 was classified in 372 of them as severe, 3053 moderate, and 2355 mild. The most frequently reported COVID-19 therapies, other than analgesics, included azithromycin (12.8%), steroids (3.5%), interferon (2.4%), oseltamivir (2.1%), chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (1.7%), anticoagulants (2.0%), antibodies (0.9%), and remdesivir (0.3%). Most drugs were preferentially used for severe cases. Patterns of use varied by country.ConclusionsIRCEP participants reported use of therapeutics for COVID-19 during pregnancy for which there is little safety information. Findings on COVID-19 pharmacotherapy utilization patterns can guide future studies examining the safety of COVID-19 therapies during pregnancy.
Project description:IntroductionThe advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to the development of vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Prospective evidence regarding safety for pregnant people and their developing fetuses is lacking. The aim of the COVID-19 Vaccines International Pregnancy Exposure Registry (C-VIPER) is to estimate the relative risk of obstetric, neonatal, and infant outcomes by comparing participants vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy to a reference group of people enrolled in the Pregistry International Pregnancy Exposure Registry (PIPER) who remained unvaccinated during pregnancy.MethodsThe C-VIPER and the PIPER are international, non-interventional, real-world cohort studies. Participants receiving a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy will be matched in the analyses by country and gestational age at enrollment to unvaccinated individuals. Self-enrolled and self-consented participants complete online questionnaires at enrollment, during pregnancy, and for 12 months after the delivery of a live infant. Where possible, outcomes are verified by medical records. The study aims to recruit at least 500 pregnancies for each approved or authorized vaccine and will last for 5 years for each product.ConclusionsBy collecting data for each vaccine brand, the C-VIPER will be able to determine individual safety profiles. The study design allows for analysis of the effects of exposure to COVID-19 vaccines during specific etiologically relevant periods of gestation. Although the sample size may be too small to detect associations with rare outcomes, the study will be used to generate hypotheses for future research. Ultimately, the C-VIPER should provide data that will allow pregnant people and their healthcare providers to make informed decisions about COVID-19 vaccination.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04705116. Registered on 12 January, 2021. EU PAS EUPAS39096. Registered on 20 January, 2021.
Project description:BackgroundStudies of preterm delivery after COVID-19 are often subject to selection bias and do not distinguish between early vs. late infection in pregnancy, nor between spontaneous vs. medically indicated preterm delivery. This study aimed to estimate the risk of preterm birth (overall, spontaneous, and indicated) after COVID-19 during pregnancy, while considering different levels of disease severity and timing.MethodsPregnant and recently pregnant people who were tested for or clinically diagnosed with COVID-19 during pregnancy enrolled in an international internet-based cohort study between June 2020 and July 2021. We used several analytic approaches to minimize confounding and immortal time bias, including multivariable regression, time-to-delivery models, and a case-time-control design.ResultsAmong 14,264 eligible participants from 70 countries who did not report a pregnancy loss before 20 gestational weeks, 5893 had completed their pregnancies and reported delivery information; others were censored at time of their last follow-up. Participants with symptomatic COVID-19 before 20 weeks' gestation had no increased risk of preterm delivery compared to those testing negative, with adjusted risks of 10.0% (95% CI 7.8, 12.0) vs. 9.8% (9.1, 10.5). Mild COVID-19 later in pregnancy was not clearly associated with preterm delivery. In contrast, severe COVID-19 after 20 weeks' gestation led to an increase in preterm delivery compared to milder disease. For example, the risk ratio for preterm delivery comparing severe to mild/moderate COVID-19 at 35 weeks was 2.8 (2.0, 4.0); corresponding risk ratios for indicated and spontaneous preterm delivery were 3.7 (2.0, 7.0) and 2.3 (1.2, 3.9), respectively.ConclusionsSevere COVID-19 late in pregnancy sharply increased the risk of preterm delivery compared to no COVID-19. This elevated risk was primarily due to an increase in medically indicated preterm deliveries, included preterm cesarean sections, although an increase in spontaneous preterm delivery was also observed. In contrast, mild or moderate COVID-19 conferred minimal risk, as did severe disease early in pregnancy.
Project description:The disease produced by the new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), named COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease-2019) has recently been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, scarce clinical data is available and generally limited to the Chinese population due to the first cases were identified in Wuhan (Hubei, China).This article describes the rationale and design of the HOPE COVID-19 (Health Outcome Predictive Evaluation for COVID 19) registry (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04334291). With an ambispective cohort design, eligible patients are those discharged, deceased or alive, from any hospital center with a confirmed diagnosis or a COVID-19 high suspicion. With a current recruitment of more than 7000 cases, in 46 hospitals in 8 countries, since it is not possible to estimate the sample size based on literature reports, the investigators will try to get the maximum numbers of patients possible. The study primary objective is all cause mortality and aims to characterize the clinical profile of patients infected in order to develop a prognostic clinical score allowing, rapid logistic decision making. As secondary objectives, the analysis of other clinical events, the risk-adjusted influence of treatments and previous comorbidities of patients infected with the disease will be performed.The results of HOPE COVID-19 will contribute to a better understanding of this condition. We aim to describe the management of this condition as well as the outcomes in relation to the therapy chosen, in order to gain insight into improving patient care in the coming months.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT04334291.
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused morbidity and mortality, particularly among vulnerable populations. We aimed to assess social and demographic characteristics associated with COVID-19 severity among symptomatic participants during pregnancy.MethodsThe International Registry of Coronavirus Exposure in Pregnancy is a multinational, longitudinal observational cohort study of adult participants tested for SARS-CoV-2 or who received clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 during pregnancy (NCT04366986). Disease severity status of mild, moderate, or severe was determined based on symptoms and healthcare utilization. Stratified by current versus recent pregnancy at enrollment, univariate mixed-effects logistic regression modeling was used to characterize association between social and demographic characteristics with COVID-19 severity, using a cumulative mixed effect model with country as a random effect.ResultsThe odds of developing more severe COVID-19 (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) were higher among participants with lower socioeconomic status (poor: 2.72 [2.01,3.69]; lower-middle class: 2.07 [1.62,2.65] vs wealthy), among participants with lower educational attainment (high school: 1.68 [1.39,2.03]; < high school (1.77 [1.25,2.51] vs graduate education). Participants over 25 years of age had lower odds of severe COVID-19 versus participants < 25 years (25-34: 0.69 [0.56,0.85]; 35-50: 0.62 [0.48,0.80]). Employment in food services was also associated with increased odds of more severe COVID-19, whereas employment in healthcare and within home, and primiparity were associated with lower severity.ConclusionsFindings suggest that employment setting and economic status have strong associations with COVID-19 severity, which warrants considering social determinants of health in the context of assessing risk factors of more severe COVID-19 during pregnancy.Trial registrationIRCEP was registered with the European Network of Centres for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance (ENCePP) [EUPAS37360] and clinicaltrials.gov [NCT04366986].
Project description:ObjectivesGeneral practitioners (GPs) are frequently patients' first point of contact with the healthcare system and play an important role in identifying, managing and monitoring cases. This study investigated the experiences of GPs from seven different countries in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignInternational cross-sectional online survey.SettingGeneral practitioners from Australia, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland.ParticipantsOverall, 1,642 GPs completed the survey.Main outcome measuresWe focused on how well-prepared GPs were, their self-confidence and concerns, efforts to control the spread of the disease, patient contacts, information flow, testing procedures and protection of staff.ResultsGPs gave high ratings to their self-confidence (7.3, 95% CI 7.1-7.5) and their efforts to control the spread of the disease (7.2, 95% CI 7.0-7.3). A decrease in the number of patient contacts (5.7, 95% CI 5.4-5.9), the perception of risk (5.3 95% CI 4.9-5.6), the provision of information to GPs (4.9, 95% CI 4.6-5.2), their testing of suspected cases (3.7, 95% CI 3.4-3.9) and their preparedness to face a pandemic (mean: 3.5; 95% CI 3.2-3.7) were rated as moderate. GPs gave low ratings to their ability to protect staff (2.2 95% CI 1.9-2.4). Differences were identified in all dimensions except protection of staff, which was consistently low in all surveyed GPs and countries.ConclusionAlthough GPs in the different countries were confronted with the same pandemic, its impact on specific aspects differed. This partly reflected differences in health care systems and experience of recent pandemics. However, it also showed that the development of structured care plans in case of future infectious diseases requires the early involvement of primary care representatives.
Project description:BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women are at higher risk of adverse outcomes, but little evidence is available on how variants impact that risk. We aim to evaluate maternal and perinatal outcomes among unvaccinated pregnant women that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, stratified by pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron periods.MethodsThis prospective study enrolled women from March 2020 to September 2022. Exposure to the different SARS-CoV-2 variants was defined by their periods of predominance. The primary outcome was severe maternal adverse outcome defined as either intensive care unit admission, acute respiratory distress syndrome, advanced oxygen supplementation, or maternal death. The secondary outcomes were preterm birth and other perinatal outcomes.FindingsOverall, 1402, 262, and 391 SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women were enrolled during the pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron periods respectively. Severe maternal adverse outcome was reported in 3.4% (n = 947/1402; 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) 2.5-4.5), 6.5% (n = 7/262; 95%CI 3.8-10.2), and 1.0% (n = 4/391; 95%CI 0.3-2.6) of women during the pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron periods. The risk of severe maternal adverse outcome was higher during the Delta vs pre-Delta period (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) = 1.8; 95%CI 1.1-3.2) and lower during the Omicron vs pre-Delta period (aRR = 0.3; 95%CI, 0.1-0.8). The risks of hospitalization for COVID-19 were 12.6% (n = 176/1402; 95%CI 10.9-14.4), 17.2% (n = 45/262; 95%CI 12.8-22.3), and 12.5% (n = 49/391; 95%CI 9.4-16.2), during the pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron period, respectively. Pregnancy complications occurred after SARS-CoV-2 exposure in 30.0% (n = 363/1212; 95%CI 27.4-32.6), 35.2% (n = 83/236; 95%CI 29.1-41.6), and 30.3% (n = 105/347; 95%CI 25.5-35.4) of patients during the pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron periods, respectively. Stillbirths were reported in 0.5% (n = 6/1159; 95%CI 0.2-1.1), 2.8% (n = 6/210; 95%CI 1.0-6.0), and 0.9% (n = 2/213; 95%CI 0.1-3.4) or patients during the pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron periods respectively.InterpretationThe Delta period was associated with a higher risk of severe maternal adverse outcome and the Omicron period with a lower risk of severe adverse outcome compared to pre-Delta era. The reported risk of hospitalization was high during the Omicron period and should not be trivialized.FundingSwiss Federal Office of Public Health, Fondation CHUV.