Asymptomatic SARS‐CoV‐2 infections in pregnant patients in an Italian city during complete lockdown

MASSAROTTI, Claudia; ADRIANO, Marco; CAGNACCI, Angelo; GORLERO, Franco; GUSTAVINO, Claudio; VALLERINO, Gabriele; PAOLUCCI, Roberta; DI LUCA, Martina; ANSERINI, Paola; FERRAIOLO, Antonella

Data from both New York and London report a high prevalence of the asymptomatic SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in pregnant patients admitted for delivery, raising questions on the possible correlated dangers (i.e. contacts with healthcare workers; the possible creation of an intra‐hospital outbreak at birth; conflicting evidences on vertical transmission). For this study, results from SARS‐CoV‐2 screening via nasopharyngeal swab from maternity wards of the four hospitals of Genoa, Italy were collected during a month of complete lockdown, from April 1 to April 30, 2020. Out of 333 tested women, only nine were symptomatic. Only one symptomatic patient (0.3%) and six asymptomatic ones (1.8%) tested positive. Out of the six positive asymptomatic patients, five were from the most disadvantaged neighbourhood of the city (assessed by postal code). In conclusion, even if Italy was badly affected by COVID19 in the studied month, the reported prevalence of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections in asymptomatic pregnant patients at term was lower than the ones reported in literature. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.