The Temporal Relationship Between the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic and Preterm Birth.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether preterm birth rates changed in relation to the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and whether any change depended on socioeconomic status. METHODS: This is an observational cohort study of pregnant individuals with a singleton gestation who delivered in the years 2019 and 2020 at 1 of 16 U.S. hospitals of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. The frequency of preterm birth for those who delivered before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (ie, in 2019) was compared with that of those who delivered after its onset (ie, in 2020). Interaction analyses were performed for people of different individual- and community-level socioeconomic characteristics (ie, race and ethnicity, insurance status, Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) of a person's residence). RESULTS: During 2019 and 2020, 18,526 individuals met inclusion criteria. The chance of preterm birth before the COVID-19 pandemic was similar to that after the onset of the pandemic (11.7% vs 12.5%, adjusted relative risk 0.94, 95% CI 0.86-1.03). In interaction analyses, race and ethnicity, insurance status, and the SVI did not modify the association between the epoch and the chance of preterm birth before 37 weeks of gestation (all interaction P>.05). CONCLUSION: There was no statistically significant difference in preterm birth rates in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic onset. This lack of association was largely independent of socioeconomic indicators such as race and ethnicity, insurance status, or SVI of the residential community in which an individual lived.

Returning to School: Teachers' Occupational and COVID-19-Related Stress and Their Perceptions of School Climate.

Minimizing teacher stress is an essential aspect of effective teaching and supporting a healthy school climate. Previous research has indicated that teachers who experience elevated levels of occupational stress may have a negative perception of their school's climate, poor mental/physical health, poor relationships with their students, and are less likely to stay within their occupations. In addition, recent research has shown that Americans have experienced an increase in stress levels since the beginning of 2020 due to COVID-19-related stressors. This study sought to expand on previous research that investigated how teacher occupational stress is associated with teachers' perceptions of school climate. This study also examined how COVID-19-related stressors are associated with teachers' perceptions of school climate. Data from 111 elementary, middle, and high school teachers in the Southeastern United States were collected using self-report surveys on school climate, teacher occupational stress, and COVID-19-related stress. Linear regression analysis revealed that teacher occupational stress was not significantly associated with teachers' perceptions of school climate; however, a negative association between teachers' COVID-19-related stress and their perceptions of school climate was observed. This finding suggests that as teachers' COVID-19-related stress increased, their perceptions of school climate tended to decrease. The findings of this study provide insight into how to better support teachers' well-being so they can effectively perform their jobs and contribute to positive outcomes for students. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40688-022-00428-2.

Association Between Giving Birth During the Early Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic and Serious Maternal Morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate whether delivering during the early the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was associated with increased risk of maternal death or serious morbidity from common obstetric complications compared with a historical control period. METHODS: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study with manual medical-record abstraction performed by centrally trained and certified research personnel at 17 U.S. hospitals. Individuals who gave birth on randomly selected dates in 2019 (before the pandemic) and 2020 (during the pandemic) were compared. Hospital, health care system, and community risk-mitigation strategies for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in response to the early COVID-19 pandemic are described. The primary outcome was a composite of maternal death or serious morbidity from common obstetric complications, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (eclampsia, end organ dysfunction, or need for acute antihypertensive therapy), postpartum hemorrhage (operative intervention or receipt of 4 or more units blood products), and infections other than SARS-CoV-2 (sepsis, pelvic abscess, prolonged intravenous antibiotics, bacteremia, deep surgical site infection). The major secondary outcome was cesarean birth. RESULTS: Overall, 12,133 patients giving birth during and 9,709 before the pandemic were included. Hospital, health care system, and community SARS-CoV-2 mitigation strategies were employed at all sites for a portion of 2020, with a peak in modifications from March to June 2020. Of patients delivering during the pandemic, 3% had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result during pregnancy through 42 days postpartum. Giving birth during the pandemic was not associated with a change in the frequency of the primary composite outcome (9.3% vs 8.9%, adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.02, 95% CI 0.93-1.11) or cesarean birth (32.4% vs 31.3%, aRR 1.02, 95% CI 0.97-1.07). No maternal deaths were observed. CONCLUSION: Despite substantial hospital, health care, and community modifications, giving birth during the early COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with higher rates of serious maternal morbidity from common obstetric complications. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04519502.

First- or second-trimester SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsequent pregnancy outcomes.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including fetal death and preterm birth. It is not known whether that risk occurs only during the time of acute infection or whether the risk persists later in pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate whether the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy persists after an acute maternal illness. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection delivering at 17 hospitals in the United States between March 2020 and December 2020. Patients experiencing a SARS-CoV-2-positive test at or before 28 weeks of gestation with a subsequent delivery hospitalization were compared with those without a positive SAR-CoV-2 test at the same hospitals with randomly selected delivery days during the same period. Deliveries occurring at <20 weeks of gestation in both groups were excluded. The study outcomes included fetal or neonatal death, preterm birth at <37 weeks of gestation and <34 weeks of gestation, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), any major congenital malformation, and size for gestational age of <5th or <10th percentiles at birth based on published standards. HDP that were collected included HDP and preeclampsia with severe features, both overall and with delivery at <37 weeks of gestation. RESULTS: Of 2326 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and were at least 20 weeks of gestation at delivery from March 2020 to December 2020, 402 patients (delivering 414 fetuses or neonates) were SARS-CoV-2 positive before 28 weeks of gestation and before their admission for delivery; they were compared with 11,705 patients without a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. In adjusted analyses, those with SARS-CoV-2 before 28 weeks of gestation had a subsequent increased risk of fetal or neonatal death (2.9% vs 1.5%; adjusted relative risk, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-3.85), preterm birth at <37 weeks of gestation (19.6% vs 13.8%; adjusted relative risk, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.63), and HDP with delivery at <37 weeks of gestation (7.2% vs 4.1%; adjusted relative risk, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-2.55). There was no difference in the rates of preterm birth at <34 weeks of gestation, any major congenital malformation, and size for gestational age of <5th or <10th percentiles. In addition, there was no significant difference in the rate of gestational hypertension overall or preeclampsia with severe features. CONCLUSION: There was a modest increase in the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Returning to School: Teachers’ Occupational and COVID-19-Related Stress and Their Perceptions of School Climate

Minimizing teacher stress is an essential aspect of effective teaching and supporting a healthy school climate. Previous research has indicated that teachers who experience elevated levels of occupational stress may have a negative perception of their school’s climate, poor mental/physical health, poor relationships with their students, and are less likely to stay within their occupations. In addition, recent research has shown that Americans have experienced an increase in stress levels since the beginning of 2020 due to COVID-19-related stressors. This study sought to expand on previous research that investigated how teacher occupational stress is associated with teachers’ perceptions of school climate. This study also examined how COVID-19-related stressors are associated with teachers’ perceptions of school climate. Data from 111 elementary, middle, and high school teachers in the Southeastern United States were collected using self-report surveys on school climate, teacher occupational stress, and COVID-19-related stress. Linear regression analysis revealed that teacher occupational stress was not significantly associated with teachers’ perceptions of school climate;however, a negative association between teachers’ COVID-19-related stress and their perceptions of school climate was observed. This finding suggests that as teachers’ COVID-19-related stress increased, their perceptions of school climate tended to decrease. The findings of this study provide insight into how to better support teachers’ well-being so they can effectively perform their jobs and contribute to positive outcomes for students. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40688-022-00428-2.

Association of SARS-CoV-2 Infection With Serious Maternal Morbidity and Mortality From Obstetric Complications.

Importance: It remains unknown whether SARS-CoV-2 infection specifically increases the risk of serious obstetric morbidity. Objective: To evaluate the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with serious maternal morbidity or mortality from common obstetric complications. Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective cohort study of 14 104 pregnant and postpartum patients delivered between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020 (with final follow-up to February 11, 2021), at 17 US hospitals participating in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Gestational Research Assessments of COVID-19 (GRAVID) Study. All patients with SARS-CoV-2 were included and compared with those without a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result who delivered on randomly selected dates over the same period. Exposures: SARS-CoV-2 infection was based on a positive nucleic acid or antigen test result. Secondary analyses further stratified those with SARS-CoV-2 infection by disease severity. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a composite of maternal death or serious morbidity related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage, or infection other than SARS-CoV-2. The main secondary outcome was cesarean birth. Results: Of the 14 104 included patients (mean age, 29.7 years), 2352 patients had SARS-CoV-2 infection and 11 752 did not have a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Compared with those without a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result, SARS-CoV-2 infection was significantly associated with the primary outcome (13.4% vs 9.2%; difference, 4.2% [95% CI, 2.8%-5.6%]; adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.41 [95% CI, 1.23-1.61]). All 5 maternal deaths were in the SARS-CoV-2 group. SARS-CoV-2 infection was not significantly associated with cesarean birth (34.7% vs 32.4%; aRR, 1.05 [95% CI, 0.99-1.11]). Compared with those without a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result, moderate or higher COVID-19 severity (n = 586) was significantly associated with the primary outcome (26.1% vs 9.2%; difference, 16.9% [95% CI, 13.3%-20.4%]; aRR, 2.06 [95% CI, 1.73-2.46]) and the major secondary outcome of cesarean birth (45.4% vs 32.4%; difference, 12.8% [95% CI, 8.7%-16.8%]; aRR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.07-1.28]), but mild or asymptomatic infection (n = 1766) was not significantly associated with the primary outcome (9.2% vs 9.2%; difference, 0% [95% CI, -1.4% to 1.4%]; aRR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.94-1.32]) or cesarean birth (31.2% vs 32.4%; difference, -1.4% [95% CI, -3.6% to 0.8%]; aRR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.93-1.07]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among pregnant and postpartum individuals at 17 US hospitals, SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with an increased risk for a composite outcome of maternal mortality or serious morbidity from obstetric complications.

Disease Severity and Perinatal Outcomes of Pregnant Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

OBJECTIVE: To describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity in pregnant patients and evaluate the association between disease severity and perinatal outcomes. METHODS: We conducted an observational cohort study of all pregnant patients with a singleton gestation and a positive test result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) who delivered at 1 of 33 U.S. hospitals in 14 states from March 1 to July 31, 2020. Disease severity was classified by National Institutes of Health criteria. Maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes were abstracted by centrally trained and certified perinatal research staff. We evaluated trends in maternal characteristics and outcomes across COVID-19 severity classes and associations between severity and outcomes by multivariable modeling. RESULTS: A total of 1,219 patients were included: 47% asymptomatic, 27% mild, 14% moderate, 8% severe, 4% critical. Overall, 53% were Hispanic; there was no trend in race-ethnicity distribution by disease severity. Those with more severe illness had older mean age, higher median body mass index, and pre-existing medical comorbidities. Four maternal deaths (0.3%) were attributed to COVID-19. Frequency of perinatal death or a positive neonatal SARS-CoV-2 test result did not differ by severity. Adverse perinatal outcomes were more frequent among patients with more severe illness, including 6% (95% CI 2-11%) incidence of venous thromboembolism among those with severe-critical illness compared with 0.2% in mild-moderate and 0% in asymptomatic (P<.001 for trend across severity). In adjusted analyses, severe-critical COVID-19 was associated with increased risk of cesarean birth (59.6% vs 34.0%, adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.57, 95% CI 1.30-1.90), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (40.4% vs 18.8%, aRR 1.61, 95% CI 1.18-2.20), and preterm birth (41.8% vs 11.9%, aRR 3.53, 95% CI 2.42-5.14) compared with asymptomatic patients. Mild-moderate COVID-19 was not associated with adverse perinatal outcomes compared with asymptomatic patients. CONCLUSION: Compared with pregnant patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection without symptoms, those with severe-critical COVID-19, but not those with mild-moderate COVID-19, were at increased risk of perinatal complications.