New York: In what could change the way pregnant COVID-19 patients are treated, a new study in the US found evidence of injury in the placentas of 16 pregnant women with COVID-19.
The study, conducted by Northwestern University, Chicago, was published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology. It was reportedly the largest study to examine the health of placentas among pregnant COVID-19 patients.
Out of the 16 patients, 15 delivered healthy babies, while one woman had a miscarriage. However, none of the babies contracted the virus.
The researchers said that finding the evidence of injuries in the placentas was strange in these cases, as most of the babies were delivered full-term after largely normal pregnancies.
This might mean that pregnant women contracting COVID-19 need to be monitored more closely than other patients.
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"Not to paint a scary picture, but these findings worry me," Dr. Emily Miller, the co-author said.
According to reports, the abnormalities in the placentas of these women included blood clots and abnormal blood vessels.
What makes the finding a cause of concern is the fact that placentas act as natural ventilators for the foetus, the researchers said.
Out of the 16 women, only four had come with symptoms and tested positive before delivery. The others were tested positive only when they came for delivery, while five women never exhibited any symptoms.
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