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Coronavirus pandemic

COVID incidence in pregnant women higher than in general population, Health Ministry says

In general, clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 in pregnant women are similar to the general population

© Egor Aleev/TASS

MOSCOW, January 25. /TASS/. Incidence of coronavirus in pregnant women is significantly higher than in the general population while the course of the disease is similar, according to the Russian Healthcare Ministry’s updated instructional guidelines on medical aid to pregnant women, new mothers and newborns with COVID-19.

"There is contradictory information regarding the higher susceptibility of pregnant women to the coronavirus infection due to changes in their bodies. <...> Consequently, based on publications from China, Italy and the US, there were assertions that the data obtained do not indicate a more severe course of COVID-19 in pregnant women than in the general adult population. However, at present, it has been shown that the incidence of the novel coronavirus infection (NCI) COVID-19 is significantly higher than in the overall population. In general, the clinical characteristics of the NCI COVID-19 in pregnant women are similar to the general population, a symptomless form is often observed," the document said.

According to the anti-coronavirus crisis center, to date, 3,719,400 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 3,131,760 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 69,462 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.

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