IPSICO survey on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on healthcare providers in obstetrics: A study design

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is giving rise to a relevant impact on the wellbeing and mental health of several Health Care Providers (HCPs). Among HCPs, those who work in the field of obstetrics repre-sent a particular group of HCPs who are susceptible to stressful events, given the stress derived from a physically, emotionally, and intellectually demanding work, the difficulty in reschedul-ing and postponing daily activities during a health emergency, and the special ability to develop personal resilience. Based on this background, the aim of the present study is to assess the acute psychological and professional impact of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak on this group of HCPs at four University Hospitals in Italy (Verona, Roma Policlinico Gemelli, Varese, Brescia). For this purpose, a 104-items survey named Impatto PSicologico Covid in Ostetricia (IPSICO) has been developed and administered with a web-based platform. This survey, divided into four sections, will collect demographic data and information about past personal and mental health history, the impact of the epidemic on the personal and professional life, and the outcomes of this health care emergency. The results of this survey will help to plan effective strategies in order to face the psychological consequences of possible future new health care emergencies of this type.

How to perform lung ultrasound in pregnant women with suspected COVID-19.

Under certain circumstances, such as during the current COVID-19 outbreak, pregnant women can be a target for respiratory infection, and lung examination may be required as part of their clinical evaluation, ideally while avoiding exposure to radiation. We propose a practical approach for obstetricians/gynecologists to perform lung ultrasound examination, discussing potential applications, semiology and practical aspects, which could be of particular importance in emergency situations, such as the current pandemic infection of COVID-19. Copyright © 2020 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical role of lung ultrasound for diagnosis and monitoring of COVID-19 pneumonia in pregnant women.

Lung ultrasound has been suggested recently by the Chinese Critical Care Ultrasound Study Group and Italian Academy of Thoracic Ultrasound as an accurate tool to detect lung involvement in COVID-19. Although chest computed tomography (CT) represents the gold standard to assess lung involvement, with a specificity superior even to that of the nasopharyngeal swab for diagnosis, lung ultrasound examination can be a valid alternative to CT scan, with certain advantages, particularly for pregnant women. Ultrasound can be performed directly at the bed-side by a single operator, reducing the risk of spreading the disease among health professionals. Furthermore, it is a radiation-free exam, making it safer and easier to monitor those patients who require a series of exams. We report on four cases of pregnant women affected by COVID-19 who were monitored with lung ultrasound examination. All patients showed sonographic features indicative of COVID-19 pneumonia at admission: irregular pleural lines and vertical artifacts (B-lines) were observed in all four cases, and patchy areas of white lung were observed in two. Lung ultrasound was more sensitive than was chest X-ray in detecting COVID-19. In three patients, we observed almost complete resolution of lung pathology on ultrasound within 96 h of admission. Two pregnancies were ongoing at the time of writing, and two had undergone Cesarean delivery with no fetal complications. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of cord blood and newborn swabs was negative in both of these cases. Copyright © 2020 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.