Clinical characteristics and obstetric outcomes of dengue fever in pregnancy: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND

Dengue fever is a major mosquito-borne viral infection with rising global prevalence in tropical and subtropical regions. Pregnant women represent a particularly vulnerable population due to altered immune and physiological responses. While dengue is endemic in Southeast Asia, population-based data on maternal outcomes in East Asian populations with advanced healthcare systems like Taiwan are scarce.

METHODS

A nationwide retrospective descriptive, non-comparative study identified 264 pregnant women with dengue (2012-2018) via the Taiwan NHIRD. Outcomes were analyzed descriptively; comparisons with national statistics are illustrative rather than formal risk estimates.

RESULTS

The median maternal age was 32 years. The most common maternal intervention was Cesarean delivery (68.6%), while ICU admission occurred in 9.1%. For neonatal outcomes, a composite of preterm delivery or incubator care (aggregated due to coding limitations) occurred in 34.9%. Notably, the rate of low birth weight (9.5%) remained comparable to national baselines despite high intervention rates.

CONCLUSIONS

High rates of obstetric intervention despite preserved biological outcomes may reflect defensive clinical practices and diagnostic uncertainty during epidemics. Refined guidelines are needed to balance safety and avoid unnecessary surgery.