Abstract
Introduction: 2019-novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has recently struck Northern Italy. Limited data are available about COVID-19 during pregnancy and infancy, mostly from China. Herein, our experience on a safe perinatal management of neonates born to COVID-19 mothers is reported.Method: Since late February through May 15, 2020, 375 pregnant women delivered at our City Hospital in Piacenza, at the epicenter of the Italian epidemic. Of these, 144 were tested via a SARS-CoV-2 quantitative rRT-PCR nasopharyngeal swab prior to delivery, firstly on the basis of epidemiological and clinical criteria, then adopting a universal screening approach. All newborns from SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers were tested via nasopharyngeal swab at birth, on day 3 and/or day 7. In case of positive result, they were re-tested on day 14.Results: Fifteen women tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. All newborns except one were born at term. All of them were non-infected at birth, irrespective of mode of delivery; 13 out 15 remained negative; the two positive neonates became negative by day 14 of life. All of them have always remained asymptomatic. All newborns except two were allowed to have immediate bonding, permanent rooming-in, and direct breastfeeding.Conclusions: Our study supports the claim that COVID-19 in pregnancy is not associated with worse clinical outcomes compared to non-COVID-19 pregnant women and/or with higher rates of preterm birth and intrauterine growth restriction. Intrauterine vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 seems to be unlikely. Breastfeeding appears to be safe and protective for the neonate, once appropriate preventive measures are adopted.
Highlights
The recent pandemic caused by a novel Coronavirus (SARSCoV-2) first isolated in Wuhan (Hubei Region, China) in December 2019 is still inflicting heavy consequences on public health in most parts of the world, as 2019-novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has rapidly spread worldwide
According to some studies focusing on previous epidemics [6,7,8,9], pregnant women seem to be at high risk of developing viral infections, such as influenza-A, H1N1 virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERSCoV), and appear to have worse clinical outcomes in terms of maternal mortality, spontaneous abortion, and preterm delivery compared to non-infected pregnant women
The results of this study suggest that vaginal delivery is associated with a low risk of intrapartum transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection to the newborn [12]
Summary
The recent pandemic caused by a novel Coronavirus (SARSCoV-2) first isolated in Wuhan (Hubei Region, China) in December 2019 is still inflicting heavy consequences on public health in most parts of the world, as 2019-novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has rapidly spread worldwide. According to some studies focusing on previous epidemics [6,7,8,9], pregnant women seem to be at high risk of developing viral infections, such as influenza-A, H1N1 virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERSCoV), and appear to have worse clinical outcomes in terms of maternal mortality, spontaneous abortion, and preterm delivery compared to non-infected pregnant women. Yan et al [11] in another recent retrospective study from China, describing the clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in 116 pregnant women, confirmed that SARS-CoV-2 infection has the same clinical features in pregnant women as in the general female non-pregnant population. More data about the clinical features of COVID-19 during pregnancy are needed to draw any definitive conclusion
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
