REVIEW   Free access

Minerva Anestesiologica 2021 January;87(1):77-84

DOI: 10.23736/S0375-9393.20.14647-9

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Pregnancy and COVID-19: what anesthesiologists should know

Yonghui WANG, Manping YANG, Lini WANG, Hailong DONG, Zhihong LU ✉

Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an Shaanxi, China

INTRODUCTION: Anesthetic management of parturients with COVID-19 is a big challenge to anesthesiologists. Limited data are available about COVID-19 during pregnancy; however, information on illnesses associated with SARS and MERS might provide insights into COVID-19’s effects during pregnancy.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Evidence from previous reports from SARS and MERS, and from COVID-19 cases were reviewed. Concepts from guidelines from the government and academic societies were collected as well.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: The evidence was described and summarized.
CONCLUSIONS: Principles to minimize the risk of infection as well as optimize patients’ safety during obstetric anesthesia were found to include careful evaluation, tight protection, and multi-discipline-based strategy. Though vertical transmission of COVID-19 still needs more definitive evidence, strict isolation is necessary for the newborn of COVID-19 mothers. Psychological support for the parturients is also an important issue during COVID-19 pandemic.

KEY WORDS: COVID-19; Anesthesia, obstetrical; Infection control; Infant, newborn