Brazil has a new record for Coronavirus, an investigation by the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics leaves the South American giant as the country with the most cases of pregnant women who died victims of COVID-19.
The research indicates that 77% of the cases of pregnant women who died during pregnancy or the puerperium – the period after childbirth – belong to Brazil. Between February 26 and June 18, a total of 978 women were diagnosed with Acute Respiratory Syndrome, according to the Brazilian group «COVID-19 and pregnancy«, made up of several Brazilian universities.
One of the researchers of “The tragedy of COVID-19 in Brazil”, Mariana Menezes, indicated that one of the causes is the collapse of the health system, mainly in the areas of intensive care, “One of the most probable reasons that we observed in the research is the lack of access to health care in general, and mainly the difficulty of access to intensive care, which, at this moment, is more difficult due to the collapse of the health system caused by the pandemic and by the lack of effective public disease containment programs«.
A total of 160 women with Coronavirus died pregnant or in the postpartum process, according to the investigation, in addition, it is known that 16 were in the United States, seven in Mexico, seven in Iran, five in the United Kingdom, one in France and 124 in Brazil.
Most of the fatalities in Brazil had other diseases, which could have complicated their situation with the Coronavirus, however, researchers have warned that the increased risks in those infected with the virus, go beyond the background, so both women in good condition could also be victims.
The lethality of the virus in pregnant women in Brazil is 12.7%. Menezes ensures that there are ways to prevent risks in pregnant women with quality prenatal care, so that risk factors can be identified, reducing comorbidities, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, among others.