ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A recent CDC study finds pregnant women may be at an increased risk for severe illness from the coronavirus.

The study examined 598 COVID-positive pregnant women from a network of hospitals collecting COVID-19 data from March 1 through August 22. 

Researchers found 55 percent of those women were asymptomatic. Of the 44 percent of symptomatic patients, 16 percent had to go to the ICU and 9 percent needed to use a ventilator. The overwhelming majority of patients, 99 percent, recovered.

“We do have a small minority that do require more intensive treatment,” said Dr. Megan Gray, an OBGYN with Orlando Health Physician Associates, commenting on the study. “But I would say a majority of the ones that are affected by COVID-19 with symptoms have more of the mild symptoms than the severe symptoms where they’re requiring ventilation.”

Gray says the CDC findings are consistent with what she has seeing at the hospital, except for one key difference: They are seeing a greater majority of asymptomatic pregnant women.

The study also found that of the women who gave birth, only 2 percent resulted in pregnancy losses.

“So far, this is very reassuring, I would say, for more moms,” Gray said. More data is still being collected, so the statistics could change, she added.

Every pregnant patient at Winnie Palmer Hospital is tested for COVID-19.

Gray recommends pregnant women keep an open line of communication with their physician or midwife so they know what to expect.