Six stillbirths linked to Covid

THERE have been six stillbirths and one miscarriage as a result of Covid-19 in Ireland since January.

A condition known as Covid placentitis, which is a rare coronavirus-related infection of the placenta, can cause stillbirths and miscarriages

The one miscarriage occurred in the second trimester, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland said.

Professor Peter McKenna, director of the HSE national women and infants programme, has said that the Christmas surge in Covid cases appears to have resulted in the six stillbirths.

He believed it was ‘noteworthy’ that the cases of Covid-related placentitis appear to have happened since Christmas, ‘when we had the enormous surge in numbers’ due to the arrival of the UK B117 variant.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Faculty of Pathology and Institute of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists at the RCPI said current clinical advice is for pregnant women to notify their treating hospital if they test positive for Covid.

In total, there have been 11 cases of Covid placentitis identified in Ireland since the beginning of the pandemic.