Management of labour, puerperium, and lactation in SARS-CoV-2 positive women. Multicentric study in the Valencian Community.

Vila-Candel, Rafael; Mena-Tudela, Desirée; Gómez-Seguí, Ana; Asensio-Tomás, Nieves; Cervera-Gasch, Agueda; Herraiz-Soler, Yolanda

OBJECTIVE To determine the maternal and perinatal impact of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 positive polymerase chain reaction during childbirth and post clinical period. METHOD Observational descriptive, retrospective, and multicentre study carried out through the review of clinical records of pregnant women admitted for delivery from 1 March to 30 June 2020. RESULTS Thirteen women with SARS-CoV-2 positive polymerase chain reaction were tested. The prevalence of positive cases was 0.48% of the total number of births attended during the study period. None of the mothers developed complications from COVID-19 infection, nor did they require admission to the Intensive Care Unit. Of the births,15.4% ended in caesarean section, 7.7% were premature, 53.8% of the newborns were isolated from their mothers, 61.5% had late clamping of the umbilical cord and the rate of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge was 76.9%. All the newborns were polymerase chain reaction-negative for COVID-19 and had no postpartum complications. CONCLUSIONS Vertical transmission during childbirth in newborns of COVID-19 positive mothers has not been reported. Clinical practices not supported by scientific evidence were detected at the beginning of the pandemic and adapted to international recommendations as the pandemic evolved.