COVID-19
Global maternal mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Rates of deaths in pregnant and recently pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection vary significantly across regions and by country income groups, with the highest burden in Sub-Saharan Africa and low-income countries. COVID-19 is the main reported cause of death.
- Authors
Keelin O'Donoghue
- Year
- 2025
- Journal Name
- BMJ Global Health
- Category
- Journal Article
- Keywords
- COVID-19
- Full Citation
Barry K, Fernández-García S, Khashaba A, Ruiz-Calvo G, Roncal Redin M, Mahmoud G, Yap M, King Y, Zhou D, Mamey M, Shepherd-Evans I, Sheikh J, Lawson H, Kew T, Ansari K, Attarde S, Banjoko A, Fraser H, Littmoden M, Rajah T, Walker K, O'Donoghue K, van Wely M, van Leeuwen E, Kostova E, Kunst H, Khalil A, Brizuela V, Kara E, Kim CR, Thorson A, Oladapo OT, Mofenson L, Bonet M, Zamora J, Allotey J, Thangaratinam S; PregCOV-19 Living Systematic Review Consortium. Global maternal mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Global Health. 2025;10(4):e015815. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-015815.
- Link to Publication
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-015815
Abstract
The rates of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection vary across different areas of the world. Pregnant and recently pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection are at a higher risk of developing complications compared with non-pregnant women of a similar age. Being non-white, asthmatic, having diabetes or chronic high blood pressure are known risk factors for maternal death in pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is the first paper to put together all the published evidence from international studies about the numbers of deaths in pregnant and recently pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection. This work looked at all areas of the world and in publications from December 2019 to January 2023. We determined the proportion of women who died from COVID-19 and pregnancy-related complications. Nine out of every 1000 pregnant or recently pregnant women with COVID-19 infection (almost 1 in 100) died. In almost all deaths (>98%) the cause of death was reported as COVID-19 infection. The highest rate of maternal death was reported in Sub-Saharan Africa. We found evidence of poor reporting of deaths of mothers. As the pace of the pandemic continues to evolve, with emergence of new virus variants, the trends in SARS-CoV-2-associated maternal deaths should be monitored to identify countries in need of additional resources and to guide clinical practice. In the case of low-income countries which have so far suffered greatly from the pandemic, implementing measures to educate mothers of their risk of death in/after pregnancy - and educate clinicians to escalate the management of patients who are at greater risk of serious complications may prove beneficial.