As if pregnant women don't have enough to worry about already, the COVID-19 pandemic is presenting them with even more challenges.
Unsettling new research published by the CDC found that women who develop symptoms related to COVID-19 while hospitalized often become critically ill.
According to Gizmodo, the study from the CDC also found women with COVID-19 may be more likely to have a preterm birth or possibly even miscarriage.
About 12% of women with COVID-19 had a premature delivery. That figure is higher than the 10% rate of preterm birth seen in the general population.
The rate of preterm birth was even higher for symptomatic women, at 23%.
It seems unlikely that the coronavirus is uniquely dangerous to a developing fetus in the same way as other viruses, like Zika.
However, the research does point to a very real heightened risk of serious complications for pregnant women and their children.