Research links COVID-19 in pregnancy with stillbirths

By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer

Pregnant women with COVID-19 face increased chances for stillbirths compared with uninfected women. That’s according to a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Friday. It involved 1.2 million deliveries from March 2020 through September 2021. Stillbirths were rare overall, totaling 8,154 among all deliveries. But the researchers found that for women with COVID-19, about 1 in 80 deliveries resulted in stillbirth. Among the uninfected, it was 1 in 155. And the risks grew after the delta variant appeared. Experts say it shows the importance of vaccination.