Comparatively low rates of COVID-19 in women admitted in labor and their newborns prior to routine vaccination of pregnant women: insights from Denmark

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparatively low rates of COVID-19 in women admitted in labor and their newborns prior to routine vaccination of pregnant women: insights from Denmark

AU - Nielsen, Stine Yde

AU - Murra, May

AU - Pedersen, Lars Henning

AU - Khalil, Mohammed Rohi

AU - Hvidman, Lone

AU - Helmig, Rikke Bek

AU - Møller, Jens Kjølseth

AU - Kirkeby, Maria

AU - Rosbjerg, Anna-Maja

AU - Henriksen, Tine Brink

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Background: In a country with a high-test frequency, societal lockdown, and pregnancy leave granted from 28 gestational weeks, we investigated SARS-CoV-2 infection in women admitted in labor and their newborn in the pre-vaccine period. Material and methods: A total of 1042 women admitted for delivery in two Danish hospitals agreed to a plasma sample and nasopharyngeal, vaginal, and rectal swabs and to sampling of umbilical cord blood and a nasopharyngeal swab from their newborn at delivery. Plasma samples from women were examined for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. If antibodies were detected, or the woman had a positive nasopharyngeal swab upon admission or had a household contact with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 PCR was performed on plasma and swab samples from mother and child. Results: Seventeen women (1.6%) were seropositive. Half the newborn (n = 9 (53%)) of seropositive mothers were also seropositive. None of the seropositive women or newborns had clinical signs of COVID-19 and all had SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative plasma and swab samples. Conclusion: Adherence to specific national guidelines pertaining to testing, self-imposed isolation, and cautious behaviors among pregnant women likely contributed to the exceptionally low prevalence of both prior and current COVID-19 infections detected at the time of childbirth preceding the routine vaccination of pregnant women in Denmark.

AB - Background: In a country with a high-test frequency, societal lockdown, and pregnancy leave granted from 28 gestational weeks, we investigated SARS-CoV-2 infection in women admitted in labor and their newborn in the pre-vaccine period. Material and methods: A total of 1042 women admitted for delivery in two Danish hospitals agreed to a plasma sample and nasopharyngeal, vaginal, and rectal swabs and to sampling of umbilical cord blood and a nasopharyngeal swab from their newborn at delivery. Plasma samples from women were examined for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. If antibodies were detected, or the woman had a positive nasopharyngeal swab upon admission or had a household contact with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 PCR was performed on plasma and swab samples from mother and child. Results: Seventeen women (1.6%) were seropositive. Half the newborn (n = 9 (53%)) of seropositive mothers were also seropositive. None of the seropositive women or newborns had clinical signs of COVID-19 and all had SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative plasma and swab samples. Conclusion: Adherence to specific national guidelines pertaining to testing, self-imposed isolation, and cautious behaviors among pregnant women likely contributed to the exceptionally low prevalence of both prior and current COVID-19 infections detected at the time of childbirth preceding the routine vaccination of pregnant women in Denmark.

KW - Infection

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - isolation

KW - labor

KW - transmission

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164016614&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/14767058.2023.2229933

DO - 10.1080/14767058.2023.2229933

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37408109

SN - 1476-7058

VL - 36

JO - The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine

JF - The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine

IS - 2

M1 - 2229933

ER -