Explained: How the Covid-19 pandemic has affected pregnancy outcomes

Of the 40 studies, 12 reported on the incidence of stillbirth. Analysis of the pooled data found the chances of a stillbirth increased by more than a quarter compared with pre-pandemic instances.

Findings varied by country but analysis of pooled data showed stillbirth and maternal mortality rates increased by approximately one-third during the pandemic compared to life before Covid-19 took hold.

Pregnancy outcomes for mothers and babies have worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a review of data from 40 studies representing 17 countries published in The Lancet Global Health.

Denominator refers to total pregnancies in pooled data. (Source: lancet Global Health)

Of the 40 studies, 12 reported on the incidence of stillbirth. Analysis of the pooled data found the chances of a stillbirth increased by more than a quarter compared with pre-pandemic instances.

The review included two studies on the impact of the pandemic on maternal death rates (one from India and one from Mexico). The risk of mothers dying during pregnancy or childbirth was increased by more than a third compared with before the pandemic. The Mexico study represented the majority of these pregnancies.

Dr Jogender Kumar, Assistant Professor (neonatology), PGIMER Chandigarh, who was not involved in the study, told The Indian Express that rates of the adverse outcomes were much higher in low- and middle-income countries. “In resource-poor countries, even under normal circumstances, it is a challenge to provide adequate coverage for antenatal check-ups, obstetric emergencies, universal institutional deliveries, and respectful maternity care. The Covid-19 pandemic has widened this gap…,” he said.

“The current case fatality rate for Covid 19 in India is 1.3%, most of which are of the older age group. Covid-related direct death rate among pregnant women is like the general population. However, due to delay in seeking care, there are pregnancy related complications and therefore Covid-attributed death rate has increased. The unfortunate part is the unborn deaths (stillbirths) at the community level are not counted. There is an established reporting system for stillbirths at hospitals but not at the community level,” he said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More