Abstract
We read with great interest the article entitled “Coronavirus disease
2019 and pregnancy is déjà vu all over again” by Rasmussen and
Jamieson. Authors call for a more thorough study of the impact of
coronavirus infection on pregnant women and obstetric service providers,
as well as the impact of vaccination on pregnancy and fetal health, in
order to develop recommendations for preventing the next pandemic. To
develop informed solutions, the authors correctly recommend hiring more
providers of obstetric services with in-depth knowledge in the field of
epidemiology, infectious diseases, public health, as well as knowledge
of issues related to the care of pregnant women. We agree with this and
would like to add the following. COVID-19 is characterized by the
development of atypical pneumonia, which in a severe stage is
complicated by respiratory obstruction, causing maternal and fetal
hypoxia. At the same time, there is no alternative to oxygen lung
ventilation to increase blood oxygenation in the mother and fetus today.
Thus, obstetricians must necessarily be involved in the development of
measures to combat the next pandemic, so that we can prevent coronavirus
infection of a pregnant woman and preserve the fetus in the womb.
Relevant healthcare institutions should recognize that COVID-19
increases the risk of fetal intrauterine hypoxia. Therefore, it is
urgently necessary to improve the technology of artificial lung
ventilation in a pregnant woman in order to exclude hypoxic brain damage
in her fetus.
Keywords: Pregnant woman; Respiratory obstruction; Fetus; Fetal
hypoxia; Oxygen; Lung ventilation; Blood oxygenation.