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.