Women who get COVID while pregnant have a higher than previously expected risk for long COVID, new research shows Almost 1 in 10 may be coping with long COVID symptoms Researchers say obstetric doctors and nurses should keep this on their radar so women get the treatment they need FRIDAY, July 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Almost 10% of women who get during pregnancy develop long-lasting symptoms, and a new study suggests doctors may be overlooking them. "I doubt most obstetric clinicians are as aware of Long COVID as perhaps we should be," said study co-leader , vice chair of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Utah Health. "But people are having these symptoms, and we need to make sure that we're not forgetting that these could be long-term manifestations of their SARS-CoV-2 infection," Metz added in a university news release.
Previous studies had shown that COVID poses unique risks to pregnant women. For example, it increases the chances of preterm birth or stillbirth and is more likely to lead to hospitalization or death of the mother. But the risk for long COVID had not been researched.
For the study, Metz' team enrolled more than 1,500 women nationwide who got COVID for the first time during pregnancy. The women self-reported on symptoms at least six months after their initial infection. In all, researchers found that 9.
3% of women who got COVID during pregnancy experienced long-term symptoms -- most often fatigue, gastrointestinal issues and feeling drained or ex.