Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Peripartum Fever: A Comparative Study

COVID-19 has been associated with febrile conditions during the peripartum period. Although understanding of COVID-19 has improved, the real impact of this disease among pyretic women in the peripartum period is poorly described. Our aim was to assess the etiology and consequences of maternal and neonatal fever since the pandemic.

This comparative retrospective study is based on a comparison of all pyretic pregnant women admitted for delivery at >15 weeks' gestation at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Charleroi in Charleroi, Belgium, during the COVID-19 pandemic (February 21, 2020, to December 14, 2020) and outside the pandemic (February 21, 2019, to December 14, 2019).

A total of 80 patients were included in both cohorts, 49 including four COVID-19-infected patients during the pandemic period and 31 in the control group. The main fever etiologies were intra-amniotic infection (p=0.12) and urinary tract infection (p=0.75). Pandemic newborns had better outcomes regarding neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (p=0.004), fever (p=0.02), Apgar score 7 at one minute (p=0.039), and time of hospitalization (p=0.045).

The COVID-19 pandemic had no impact on peripartum fever etiology and maternal adverse events, but there is a potential association between improved pyretic outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This positive effect might be explained by the behavioral and socio-environmental modifiers influencing health and well-being during the pandemic.