COMPARATIVE OUTCOME OF NEONATES BORN TO SARS-COV2 (RTPCR TEST) POSITIVE MOTHERS IN 1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD WAVE OF COVID PANDEMIC AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN NORTH INDIA

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: To access the incidence of perinatal transmission of SARS‑CoV‑2 virus from pregnant mothers having RTPCR test positive for SARS‑CoV‑2 virus to their newborn babies, to evaluate the morbidity and mortality in these neonates, and to compare the outcomes of these neonates during the first, second, and third waves of the COVID pandemic (March 2020–July 2022) admitted at a tertiary care health facility in North India (Punjab). Methods: Data were retrospectively gathered from hospital records for all neonates born to pregnant women who had tested positive for the virus using the RTPCR method from March 2020 to July 2022, when the SARS‑CoV‑2 pandemic was in full swing. In order to assess the relationship between various maternal and perinatal risk factors, a thorough history of the neonate and the pregnant mother was recorded. Results: During the COVID-19 outbreak, 168 neonates in total were born to mothers who tested positive for the SARS‑CoV‑2 virus. The majority of these neonates were healthy, although the premature birth rate was higher. Our study’s results show a statistically significant relationship between pregnancy-related issues and newborn problems like premature births, low neonatal weight, newborns exhibiting one or more disease symptoms, and poorer neonatal outcomes. Conclusions: According to our research, there was very little perinatal transmission of the SARS‑CoV‑2 virus from the pregnant mothers to the newborns. Although there were more premature babies, most of them managed to survive.