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A study of pregnant women admitted to two New York City hospitals for delivery in late March and early April found that about one in seven was infected with the new coronavirus and most showed no symptoms.
Reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors at New York Presbyterian Allen Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center said they evaluated a total of 215 women who gave birth to newborns between March 22 and April 4.
All were evaluated for the new coronavirus upon admission to hospital, and 33 were positive for Covid-19 infection.
Most of those potentially harmful or communicable cases would have been overlooked if the women had not been examined, said a team led by Dr. Dena Goffman of the Irving Medical Center.
Protection during these difficult times
In fact, “29 of the 33 patients [87.9%] who were positive … had no Covid-19 symptoms on presentation at admission, “noted Goffman and colleagues. Only four of the 33 patients showed typical Covid-19 symptoms, such as fever.
Many of the women also did not develop symptoms, at least in the short term. Of the 29 asymptomatic obstetric patients, only three developed fever during the few days they were in the hospital, and it’s not even clear if the fevers were related to Covid-19 or any other condition.
The bottom line, according to the New York City doctors who wrote the report, is that all women admitted to the hospital for obstetric care should be tested for the new coronavirus.
Doing so could help “determine hospital isolation practices and bed assignments” for individual patients, and aid in newborn care and “use of personal protective equipment” by hospital staff, the group said. Goffman’s.
“The new data provides an important opportunity to protect mothers, babies and healthcare teams during these difficult times,” the study authors said.
Dr. Natalie Meirowitz is Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology / Fetal Maternal Medicine at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York. Reading the study’s findings, he said that the rate of coronavirus infection for pregnant women “probably varies quite a bit across communities.”
Risks to the fetus and the newborn?
She added that “the women they report as asymptomatic women may have been ‘pre-symptomatic’, developing symptoms only then discharge from the hospital. “
In addition, Meirowitz said: “In our experience, there are women who we initially classified as asymptomatic, who later recalled minor symptoms such as low fever or dysgeusia [loss of sense of taste] in days / weeks prior to positive test results. “
And what about the risks to the fetus and newborn? Most reports say there is a low risk that the coronavirus will be transmitted from an infected mother to her fetus, according to Dr. Justin Brandt, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the School of Maternal-Fetal Medicine division. Rutgers Medicine Robert Wood Johnson in New Jersey.
However, there is some research to suggest that some newborns of mothers with Covid-19 have specific antibodies to coronavirus, suggesting that they were exposed to the virus in utero.
“We need more data to clarify and corroborate this risk, but there may be reason to be concerned about vertical transmission and associated conditions, including birth defects, early neonatal disease and other complications,” Brandt said in a Rutgers news release.
Tips for future parents
Meanwhile, pregnant women must take special care to avoid infection, he said.
To reduce their risk of infection, pregnant women should practice physical distance, stay home, and avoid public gatherings. If they must leave the house, they should wash their hands regularly, try not to touch their faces, and stay at least 6 feet (1.8 m) from people who may be sick or people whose condition is unknown, Brandt advised.
He said expectant parents should prepare to stay home for several months and stock up on food, common medications, such as Tylenol, thermometers, and other household items, such as soap, toilet paper, and laundry detergent.
When possible, use delivery services instead of going to markets and other stores where there may be groups of people, Brandt said.
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Image credit: iStock
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