Prevalence of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India

Introduction: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, had a widespread impact on lives worldwide. Its global impact has transcended geographical barriers, affecting people of all ages, races, and genders. Pregnancy induces critical physiological changes in women that can increase their susceptibility to infections. As a result, pregnant women may be at a higher risk of acquiring infections compared to non-pregnant individuals. This retrospective study aimed to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 among pregnant women from April 2020 to January 2022. Methods: Screening was performed on a total of 4929 pregnant women nearing their expected delivery date. Nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal samples were collected and analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 detection using real-time RT-PCR. Result: Pregnant women in the study had a mean age of 30.28 years, and the overall prevalence of COVID-19 was 3.6%. Positivity rates varied between zero and 23.2% during different intervals, with increases in positivity coinciding with the peaks of the country’s first, second, and third waves of COVID-19. Pregnant females exhibited a higher positivity rate for COVID-19 compared to the general population. Conclusions: The presence of COVID-19-positive patients in our study group, which comprised entirely of asymptomatic individuals, underscores the importance of active screening among at-risk populations, particularly during periods of increased activity in the general population. These findings can be of vital importance for the management of COVID-19 in pregnant patients, as well as policymaking at all levels.