National Harbor, Maryland – Two new studies on long-term Covid-19 symptoms in pregnant people and children have shed light on the lasting impact of the virus, which often goes unnoticed by doctors. The first study, presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting, found that 1 in 10 pregnant individuals who had Covid-19 developed long-term symptoms. These findings were based on data from the National Institutes of Health’s Recover Initiative, which aims to understand the long-term effects of Covid-19 on adults and children.
Of the 1,503 pregnant individuals in the dataset, 9.3% reported experiencing symptoms six months or more after being infected, with fatigue and dizziness being the most common symptoms. This percentage is lower compared to the general US population, where estimates of long Covid in adults range from 2.5% to 25%. Dr. Torri Metz, co-author of the study, suggested that potential factors for the lower percentage in pregnant individuals could be their younger age, different immune response, and less baseline medical complications overall.
The study also revealed that pregnant people with obesity, chronic anxiety or depression diagnosis, or those who required supplemental oxygen when infected with Covid-19 had a higher risk of developing long Covid. Interestingly, trimester of infection and vaccination status did not seem to have a significant impact on the likelihood of experiencing long-term symptoms.
In a separate study published in the journal Pediatrics, it was found that up to 6 million children have developed long Covid, with a third of them still experiencing symptoms a year after their initial infection. These symptoms included breathing problems, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. The study also highlighted an increased risk of autoimmune conditions like type 1 diabetes in children after Covid-19 infection.
Overall, these studies emphasize the need for greater awareness and understanding of long-term Covid-19 symptoms in both pregnant individuals and children. With ongoing research, medical professionals hope to identify common factors and provide appropriate care to those affected by long Covid.