Perinatal management of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a level III University Hospital

Abstract

Over the past 4 months, SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has spread all over the world. The lack of understanding of this pandemic epidemiological characteristics, clinical implications and long term consequences have raised concern among healthcare workers. Pregnant women and newborns are a particularly worrisome population since data referring to real infection impact in these patients are scarce and management controversial. We report on the perinatal management of the first consecutive ten mother-infant dyads of SARS-CoV-2 infection complicated pregnancy. All mothers were included in newborn management planning prior to delivery and decided on separation from their newborns; nine decided on postponing breastfeeding until SARS-CoV-2 negativity while maintaining lactation stimulation. No evidence of vertical transmission was found (all NP swab and bronchial secretions SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR were negative). No newborn developed clinical evidence of infection. In the face of current scientific uncertainty, decisions of perinatal management, such as mother-infant separation and breastfeeding, must involve parents in a process of shared decision making.

Keywords:

• SARS-CoV-2
• neonatal
• COVID-19

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the contribution of health care workers from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Obstetrics Department of Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João to the clinical management and support of the patients described in this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).