PAHO: COVID-19 Pregnant Women Infections Rise in the Americas

The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) warned on Tuesday about the increasing number of COVID-19 infections among pregnant women in the region.

RELATED:

Cuba's COVID-19 Vaccine to Benefit Latin America, PAHO Says

PAHO's latest report reveals that 60.458 cases have been reported thus far since the beginning of the pandemic in the continent. Moreover, 458 pregnant women have died because of the virus.

Mexico has the highest figures, with 140 deaths among 5.574 cases in pregnant and postpartum women. Brazil registers the second-largest death toll as 135 out of 2.256 infected expecting mothers have died.

Colombia, Peru, Panama, and the U.S. also report increments of COVID-19 infections in pregnant women. In particular, Panama has the highest maternal mortality ration of 10.1 of the countries reporting. The Central American nation reported eight deaths among 525 expecting mothers.

PAHO pointed out that "recently published results and studies based on COVID-19 surveillance data have indicated an increased risk among pregnant women of presenting with severe forms of COVID-19 and, therefore, of being hospitalized and admitted to intensive care units."

In this sense, the organization urged governments in the region to "step up efforts to ensure access to prenatal care services for pregnant women."

 As of September 13, 2020, 155 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported among pregnant and postpartum women in the indigenous populations, including three deaths. PAHO explained that 23 percent of these cases were identified in the state of Yucatán, and five percent are hospitalized in severe clinical conditions.

According to PAHO's epidemiological update, the average age of pregnant women who died of COVID-19 is 30 years old in a range from 19 to 42 years old.