CHAPTER 13: Potential Risks of COVID-19 in Reproductive Health

Reproductive health embraces a range of factors and processes, comprising wellbeing and physical health, and is important in maintaining the quality and quantity of future generations. The current pandemic status of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on reproductive health is of a significant public concern within the epidemic. There is only limited scientific evidence available to identify the effects of COVID-19 on reproductive health, principally consisting of reported outcomes of the infection during pregnancy and published cases of COVID-19 occurring during pregnancy. Most women admitted to hospital have been in the late second or third trimesters of pregnancy and from black or other ethnic minority groups. However, questions arise concerning the continuation of pregnancy, the possibility of virus transmission through the placenta, isolation of the newborn after birth, and breastfeeding. The health implications of the spread of COVID-19 from the initial site of infection to the female reproductive organs in pregnant women are the main focus of this review; male reproductive effects are also considered.