Multiprofessional perinatal care in a pregnant patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to COVID-19

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused ongoing challenges in health services worldwide. Despite the growing body of literature on COVID-19, reports on perinatal care in COVID-19 cases are limited.

CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a case of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in a 36-year-old G5/P2 pregnant woman with morbid obesity, confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, and fulminant respiratory failure. At 28+ 1 gestational weeks, the patient delivered an uninfected newborn. Using ImmunoCAP ISAC® technology, we found no immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibodies, suggesting that no mother-to-child viral transmission occurred during pregnancy or delivery. The maternal respiratory state improved rapidly after delivery; both maternal and neonatal outcomes were encouraging given the early gestational age and fulminant course of respiratory failure in our patient.

CONCLUSIONS: The management of ARDS in pregnant women with COVID-19 is complex and requires an individualized, multidisciplinary approach, while considering maternal and fetal outcomes.