ABSTRACT
Little is known on socio-economic factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women. Here, we analyze the relationship between educational, occupational, and housing variables with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort of 988 pregnant women in Spain. Pregnant women were recruited at the University Hospital Marques de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain, among those delivering from 23 March 2020 onwards or consulting for their 12th week of pregnancy from 26 May 2020 onwards. Information on occupational variables and housing characteristics was self-reported. Pregnant women were tested for a current or past infection of SARS-CoV-2 using both PCR and antibodies detection (ELISA). Logistic regression models were used to analyze factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, adjusting for age and country of origin. Infection by SARS-CoV-2 was not associated with educational level or occupational variables, except for where the pregnant woman was a healthcare worker (odds ratio (OR) = 2.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84-9.79). Housing with four or more rooms (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 0.96-4.47), four or more people in the household (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 0.89-4.14), lack of heating (OR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.24-6.34) and less than 23 square meters per person (OR = 3.97, 95% CI: 1.43-11.1) were the housing characteristics associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Housing characteristics, but not occupational or educational variables, were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Guidelines on the prevention of COVID-19 should reinforce household measures to prevent pregnant women from becoming infected by their relatives.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnant Women , SARS-CoV-2 , Social Class , Spain/epidemiologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The Mother and Child COVID-19 study is a cohort recruiting pregnant women and their children in Cantabria, North of Spain, during COVID-19 pandemic in order to ascertain consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnant women and their descendants. This article reports the cohort profile and preliminary results as recruitment is still open. PARTICIPANTS: Three subcohorts can be identified at recruitment. Subcohort 1 includes women giving birth between 23 March and 25 May 2020; they have been retrospectively recruited and could have been exposed to COVID-19 only in their third trimester of pregnancy. Subcohort 2 includes women giving birth from 26 May 2020 on; they are being prospectively recruited and could have been exposed to COVID-19 in both their second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Subcohort 3 includes women in their 12 week of pregnancy prospectively recruited from 26 May 2020 on; they could have been exposed to COVID-19 anytime in their pregnancy. All women are being tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection using both RT-PCR for RNA detection and ELISA for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. All neonates are being tested for antibodies using immunochemoluminiscency tests; if the mother is tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, a nasopharyngeal swab is also obtained from the child for RT-PCR analysis. FINDINGS TO DATE: As of 22 October, 1167 women have been recruited (266, 354 and 547 for subcohorts 1, 2 and 3, respectively). Fourteen women tested positive to SARS-CoV-2 RNA by the day of delivery. All 14 children born from these women tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. FUTURE PLANS: Children from women included in subcohort 3 are expected to be recruited by the end of 2020. Children will be followed-up for 1 year in order to ascertain the effect that COVID-19 on their development.