Screening for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Pregnant Women Admitted for Delivery: an Observational Study

Overview

Journal Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992)

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2023 Jul 19

PMID 37466595

Authors

Ana Nery Melo Cavalcante

Rosa Livia Freitas de Almeida

Denise Nunes Oliveira

Danielle Malta Lima

Candice Torres de Melo Bezerra Cavalcante

Lohanna Valeska de Sousa Tavares

Renata Parente Almeida

Rosangela Pinheiro Goncalves Machado

Edward Araujo Junior

Marcelo Borges Cavalcante

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of symptom-based screening on the prevalence and outcomes of neonatal coronavirus disease 2019 in pregnant women admitted for delivery.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted from June to August 2020 at Gonzaga Mota of Messejana Hospital, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. All pregnant women were screened for coronavirus disease 2019 based on symptoms. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or immunology assays for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 were performed when a patient reported a symptom. All newborns of symptomatic patients were submitted for Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Newborns were divided into groups according to the Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction results to identify the relationship between maternal symptoms and neonatal coronavirus disease 2019.

Results: A total of 55 (55/1,026, 5.4%) and 50 (50/1,026, 4.8%) pregnant women reported symptoms and had a positive confirmatory test, respectively. The most common symptom of coronavirus disease 2019 among the pregnant women with positive confirmatory test was cough (n=23, 46%). Seven newborns (7/50, 14%) of symptomatic mothers had positive Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Upon birth, no newborn had serious complications.

Conclusion: Universal screening of pregnant women admitted for delivery can reduce the perinatal transmission of coronavirus disease 2019. Symptom-based screening can be an alternative for regions with a low prevalence of the disease where a better allocation of financial resources is necessary.

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