Mufareh Asiri

Objective: Evaluation of COVID-19 during pregnancy and the pregnancy outcomes. Design: A prospective cohort study. Setting: Central First Health Care Cluster (multicentric), Riyadh. Population or Sample: Pregnant women with a singleton pregnancy diagnosed with COVID-19 . Methods: Parameters included: the age of the patient, gestational age at diagnosis, symptoms at presentation (cough, fever), presence of congenital anomalies, IUFD, mode of delivery, presence of PPH, admission to ICU, newborn Apgar s.core, cord PH, need for NICU admission, and the newborn becoming infected with COVID-19. Main Outcome Measures: COVID-19 positive women and adverse maternal and fetal outcome Results: One hundred pregnant, COVID-19-positive women met the inclusion criteria; the average age of participants was 31.2 years (SD ± 6.4). Asymptomatic patients represented 54% of participants. Most of the deliveries occurred at 36 weeks or less as preterm delivery. Cesarean sections represented 55% of our population. The average weight of the newborn was 2.86 ± 0.65SD); however, 23 (26.4 %) of the newborns delivered to a COVID-positive mother became COVID-19 positive. Conclusion: A high rate of preterm labor, miscarriage, cesarean section, and newborn testing positive for COVID-19 were observed among our population. No congenital anomalies related to COVID-19 were observed. Keywords: Pregnancy, COVID 19, Preterm labor, Miscarriage, Saudi Arabia

Initially, there was little data on the safety of immunization against COVID-19 infection in pregnant women. However, previous studies revealed no safety concerns for pregnant women or newborns who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on perinatal outcomes. Methods: This cross-sectional study. It started from January 2022 to June 2022. The questionnaire was developed and validated by experts. This study included all women admitted to the postpartum ward who were more than 18 years old and had received the COVID-19 vaccine. The study excluded women without proof of their vaccination status or who could not complete the questionnaire. The primary outcome was the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on gestational age and birth weight. Results: A total of 365 participants. The mean gestational age of the unvaccinated women was 38.83 ± 1.62 weeks (p < 0.001), higher than that of vaccinated women (37.69 ± 2.9 weeks). However, the average birth weight for the unvaccinated women was 2.96 ± 0.4 kg (p = 0.89) and for vaccinated women (2.97 ± 0.66 kg). Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination, regardless of the type of vaccine received before, during, or after pregnancy, is not associated with any unfavorable perinatal outcomes.

The 2019 Coronavirus caused by single stranded RNA virus. Morbidity and mortality are high among pregnant women. Covid 19 vaccine considered safe for adult and protective. Issues of safety raised toward pregnant women and vaccine. The authorization of Covid 19 vaccine for pregnant and nursery women need more studies and trials.

Objective: To endorse the impact of chewing gum on the intestinal functions’ restoration, hospital stay and gastrointestinal complications after planned cesarean delivery (CD). Methods: Women aged between 20 and 35 years scheduled for planned CD; either first or repeated, with term, singleton, viable and healthy pregnancy at obstetrics and gynaecology department, Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Khamis Mushayt, Saudi Arabia were invited to participate and randomized if eligible into three groups. The first group chewed sugar-free gum 2 hours after recovery at least for half an hour and at 2-hour interval during daytime. The second group received oral fluids 6 hours postoperatively, while the third group was the control group. The primary outcome measure was the time to first passage of stool. The secondary outcomes included the time of the first passage of flatus, the first hearing of normal intestinal sounds, the duration of hospital stay the duration of parenteral therapy by intravenous fluids, the time of initiating breast-feeding and the cost of hospital stay. The study was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02386748). Results: The study included 372 women randomized into three groups (124 women in each group). Chewing gum significantly improved intestinal recovery with faster onset of bowel movements, first audible intestinal sounds, passage of flatus and passage of stool (p = 0.0001). It was associated with significantly shorter duration of hospital stay and parenteral therapy duration (p = 0.0001). Abdominal distension, vomiting and ileus postoperatively were significantly higher in nonchewing gum groups. Neither paralytic ileus nor side effects were recorded with gum use. Conclusion: Chewing gum, within 2 hours postoperatively, is a simple, safe and well tolerated intervention that can boost rapid intestinal recovery and shorten hospital stay after planned cesarean deliveries.