Dr Valerie Vannevel, Prof Priya Soma-Pillay and several authors co-wrote an article on the Maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of hospitalized pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection in South Africa: An International Network of Obstetric Survey Systems-based cohort study. This received the John J. Sciarra IJGO Prize Paper Award - Honorable Mention 2021 from the International Journal of GYNECOLOGY & OBSTETRICS. The article highlights the risk factors and outcomes of pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 admitted to South African healthcare facilities. 

Results showed a total of 36 hospitals submitted data on 673 infected hospitalized pregnant women; 217 (32.2%) were admitted for COVID-19 illness and 456 for other indications. There were 39 deaths with a case fatality rate of 6.3%: 32 (14.7%) deaths occurred in women admitted for COVID-19 illness compared to 7 (1.8%) in women admitted for other indications. Of the women, 106 (15.9%) required critical care. Maternal tuberculosis, but not HIV co-infection or other co-morbidities, was associated with admission for COVID-19 illness. Rates of cesarean delivery did not differ significantly between women admitted for COVID-19 and those admitted for other indications. There were 179 (35.4%) preterm births, 25 (4.7%) stillbirths, 12 (2.3%) neonatal deaths, and 162 (30.8%) neonatal admissions. Neonatal outcomes did not differ significantly from those of infected women admitted for other indications.

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