Ultrasound Shows Women with COVID History Have Stiffer Placentas

Ultrasound elastography shows differences in placental stiffness between pregnant women who recovered from COVID-19 compared with women with no history of COVID, a recent Turkish study published in Placenta found. A team led by Dr. Bedri Sakcak from Ankara City Hospital calculated point shear-wave velocity from ultrasound elastography scans and found that pregnant women who recovered from COVID-19 have more rigid placentas. What's more, newborns born to these women needed intensive care. Previous research suggests that the prevalence of obstetric complications such as stillbirth and fetal distress have increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies have also suggested that COVID-19 may cause maternal and fetal complications.