RE: Universal SARS-CoV-2 testing on admission to the labor and delivery unit: Low prevalence among asymptomatic obstetric patients

• Published in: Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 2021-07, Vol.42 (7), p.908-909
• Main Authors: Cronin, Sean, Piacquadio, Megan, Brendel, Katelyn, Goldberg, Aden, Goldberg, Marco, White, Chase, Jaspan, David, Goldberg, Jay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Asymptomatic; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 diagnostic tests; Hospitals; Letter to the Editor; Nursing; Obstetrics; Pandemics; Population density; Pregnancy; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
• ISSN: 0899-823X; 1559-6834
• DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.382

Noting that their rate was substantially lower than that reported in New York City, the authors theorized that it might be due to their patients (1) being tested >30 days after physical distancing orders were in place; (2) the population density of Boston being less than New York City; and (3) New York women underreporting symptoms due to New York hospitals banning support people from labor and delivery.1 Studying similar universal screening in pregnant women presenting to labor and delivery at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia during the same time frame as the Boston study, we found that 9.6% of 114 consecutive asymptomatic women tested positive for severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). On March 28, 2020, prior to the Boston study’s time frame (and ours), Governor Andrew Cuomo announced an executive order that New York hospitals were required to allow 1 person to accompany a patient throughout their labor and delivery. The higher rate of asymptomatic pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, who may still infect healthcare providers and others, demonstrates the importance of universal testing of pregnant women admitted to labor and delivery, as well as precautions such as mask wearing and hand washing.