NEW DELHI: About one in 10 women who acquire COVID-19 infection during pregnancy are likely to suffer longer from long-term COVID symptoms like fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and feeling drained in routine life, finds a study.

COVID acquired during pregnancy is known to be much more dangerous as it can lead to stillbirths and preterm births.

The study, published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, included 1,500 participants who already had Covid during pregnancy and reported the symptoms after six months.

Of these 9.3 per cent of people reported experiencing long-term symptoms. These included fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and feeling drained or exhausted by routine activities.

“This is an important study for the pregnancy and postpartum times are the most vulnerable and this study gives insights on the linkage between Covid and pregnancy,” said Dr David Goff, division director for the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US.

The researchers also called on obstetricians “to be vigilant” because the symptoms of long-term COVID can overlap with the symptoms of pregnancy itself.

To ensure that the reported long Covid symptoms weren’t symptoms of pregnancy, a secondary study was done on people who reported symptoms more than 12 weeks after giving birth. The results confirmed the findings.

As the prevalence of long Covid in pregnant populations is high the researchers called on health practitioners to keep an eye out for its symptoms.