Blog & Articles

Updated: May 27, 2021

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, a highly transmissible virus that can be spread by asymptomatic people, requires providers to make innovative changes in how patients are seen and treated in the ambulatory setting. Prenatal care requires frequent face-to-face visits, so it is particularly challenged to adapt to protect patients, providers and office staff. Ultrasound testing and fetal monitoring usually also require in-office visits. However, innovations in care such as increased use of telemedicine and self-monitoring at home by patients are being implemented to change the norm for prenatal care. This article will discuss the innovations offices and patients can implement to provide safe, comprehensive prenatal care to pregnant patients with COVID-19.

Updated: April 30, 2021

Pregnant women who have known or suspected COVID-19 infection need to be evaluated quickly to determine the severity of their symptoms and if they have risk factors that put them at risk for severe disease. New data on the outcomes for pregnant women have shown that pregnancy is a risk factor for increased severe mortality and morbidity; for example, respiratory distress requiring intubation and admission to ICU, maternal death, and obstetric complications such as preterm birth and stillbirth (Jama Intern Med 2021).

Seven percent of pregnant women who underwent testing for COVID-19 were found to be positive, with 75%-85% asymptomatic and 90% stable enough to be treated outpatient. Thus, most women diagnosed with this infection can be treated without hospitalization, but all known or suspected infected patients must be closely monitored.

In January 2020, the first case of the novel virus known as SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), responsible for COVID-19 disease, was found in the United States. Since that time, there have been 6 major vaccines developed to prevent infection with this virus. However, none of the original trials included pregnant women. Three of these vaccines – Moderna, BioNTech-Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson have received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for administration in the U.S. population, with 100 million doses given as of this article’s writing. Soon after the EUA was determined, the CDC, ACOG and SMFM released recommendations specific for pregnant women:

• COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant women.
• Counseling is not required, and more importantly, lack of counseling should not deter a woman from becoming vaccinated. (ACOG Practice Bulletin, March 4, 2021)