Participants from Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital recruited to evaluate the impact of pregnancy complications due to the COVID-19 Omicron variant

HUNTLEY — The global network led by the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute (OMPHI) at the University of Oxford, has published the results of the ‘2022 INTERCOVID Study’ in the Lancet journal.

According to a press release, the study was conducted in 41 hospitals across 18 countries. Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital were among the hospitals included in the study.

To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 Omicron variant on maternal and neonatal outcomes, the researchers studied 1,545 pregnant women diagnosed with the Omicron variant and 3,073 non-diagnosed, concomitant pregnant women as control subjects.

The study was conducted between Nov. 27, 2021, and June 30, 2022, during the peak of the Omicron variant.

In the study, mRNA vaccines were shown to be the most effective in preventing severe COVID-19 symptoms and complications, although viral vector vaccines with a booster also provided adequate protection—for at least 10 months after the last dose for both mRNA vaccines and viral vector vaccines with a booster.

Additionally, vaccinated women were well protected against severe COVID-19 symptoms and complications and had a very low risk of admission to an intensive care unit.

Stephen Kennedy, professor of Reproductive Medicine at the University of Oxford who also co-led the study said, “The present study is a shining example of how well-coordinated, multi-national, collaborative research can, in a very short time, provide robust evidence to improve the health of mothers and babies worldwide.”

He continued, “The findings from this study and our previous INTERCOVID studies have contributed to changes in clinical practice and public health policy recommending vaccination for all pregnant women. We hope our work will help to negate the considerable misinformation circulating regarding the pandemic and the effectiveness of vaccines.”

Lurie Children’s Hospital’s study participants were recruited from Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital’s Maternal, Newborn, and Intermediate Care Nursery area.

“The results from this study can save lives as the COVID Omicron variant vaccination can protect pregnant women from complications from COVID-19,” said Chief Nurse Executive at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital Kim L. Armour. “We will continue to educate our patients on the importance of vaccinations and reinforce the message that patients are protecting both themselves and their babies from potential pregnancy complications by being vaccinated from the COVID Omicron variant.”