Maternal Mortality with SARS-COV-2 during its 4th Wave in Pakistan: The Vaccine Paradox and Pregnancy

The goal of this study was to investigate the maternal death rate among admitted pregnant patients with SARS-COV-2 during its 4th wave in Pakistan. It was a cross-sectional analytical study, carried on pregnant patients admitted due to COVID-19, in Sadiq Abbasi Hospital from 15th. August to 15th September, 2021. Thirty-three PCR confirmed and HRCT suggestive patients were included with mean age of 28 +/- 4.5 years and mean gestational age of 28.5 +/- 6 weeks. Twenty-seven (81%) were non-vaccinated, 22 (66%) were admitted with severe disease, 13 (39.4%) and 11 (33.3%) were on non-invasive and invasive ventilator support, respectively. Only nine (27%) patients could continue their pregnancy. Fifteen (45%) patients had severe oligohydramnios. Twenty-two (66.7%) patients were died, all were unvaccinated. Regression analysis for maternal mortality predicted by severity and vaccination status was significant with R-2=.68, F (1, 31) =66.6, p <.001 CI (-.69, -.42) and R-2=.44, F (1, 31) = 24.8, p <.001 CI (-1.14, -.48), respectively. There was substantial mortality in the admitted and non-vaccinated pregnant patients with COVID-19.