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Aim: This review study was conducted to evaluate the symptoms of COVID-19 in pregnant women with a focus on gastrointestinal symptoms. Background: COVID-19 is a fatal respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that quickly became a pandemic. Although the main symptoms of this disease include respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal manifestations have also been observed in some patients suffering from COVID-19. Pregnant women are among the most vulnerable groups in the community to infectious diseases. Methods: Scientific databases were searched for articles published up to May 8, 2020. Any type of study investigating the manifestations of COVID-19 in pregnant women was included. Symptoms of the disease in pregnant women with an emphasis on gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed. Results: The search resulted in 852 titles and abstracts, which were narrowed down to 43 studies involving 374 women. The most common symptoms of patients were fever (59.1%) and cough (48.4%), respectively. Gastrointestinal symptoms included diarrhea (4.5%), abdominal pain (1.6%), nausea (0.8%), and loss of appetite (0.3%), respectively. In studies on pregnant women with gastrointestinal symptoms, 13 fetal abortions occurred, most of which were induced abortions due to the risks posed by COVID-19.In thirty cases, and infected pregnant women reported a history of chronic pregnancy-related diseases. Conclusion: COVID-19 in pregnant women, similar to the general population, can present with gastrointestinal manifestations. The gastrointestinal tract can be a potential route for infection with the novel coronavirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statins are contraindicated in pregnancy, due to their potential teratogenicity. However, data are still inconsistent and some even suggest a potential benefit of statin use against pregnancy complications. We aimed to investigate the effects of statins on pregnancy outcomes , including stillbirth, fetal abortion, and preterm delivery, through a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of the available clinical studies. A literature search was performed through PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to 16 May 2020. Data were extracted from 18 clinical studies (7 cohort studies, 2 clinical trials, 3 case reports, and 6 case series). Random effect meta-analyses were conducted using the restricted maximum likelihood method. The common effect sizes were calculated as odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence interval (CI) for each main outcome. Finally, nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. There was no significant association between statin therapy and stillbirth [OR (95% CI) = 1.30 (0.56, 3.02), p= 0.54; I2 = 0%]. While statin exposure was significantly associated with increased rates of spontaneous abortion [OR (95% CI) = 1.36 (1.10–1.68), p= 0.004, I2 = 0%], it was non-significantly associated with increased rates of induced abortion [OR (95% CI) = 2.08 (0.81, 5.36), p= 0.129, I2 = 17.33%] and elective abortion [OR (95% CI) = 1.37 (0.68, 2.76), p= 0.378, I2 = 62.46%]. A non-significant numerically reduced rate of preterm delivery was observed in statin users [OR (95% CI) = 0.47 (0.06, 3.70), p= 0.47, I2 = 76.35%]. Statin therapy seems to be safe as it was not associated with stillbirth or induced and elective abortion rates. Significant increase after statin therapy was, however, observed for spontaneous abortion. These results need to be confirmed and validated in future studies. [Display omitted] • Statins are contraindicated in pregnancy but there are controversies over their safety. • We aimed to investigate the effects of statins on pregnancy outcomes through a meta-analysis. • Nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. • Statin theray was not associated with stillbirth and induced and elective abortion. • Significant increase after statin therapy was observed for spontaneous abortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]