COVID-19 pandemic and health-care disruptions: count the most vulnerable

Pregnancy adds to an individual's vulnerability and to the adverse health effects of disasters, famines, and pandemics. During past influenza pandemics, we have witnessed increased risks of morbidity and death in pregnant people and neonates.1 Early data suggest similar risks of acquisition of COVID-19 in pregnant and other healthy adults. However, studies exploring the indirect consequences of COVID-19 have found that pregnant individuals from Black, Asian, minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as from other disadvantaged groups, are more likely to be adversely affected by COVID-19.