Variation in United States COVID-19 newborn care practices: results of an online physician survey.
BMC Pediatr
; 22(1): 55, 2022 01 21.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1643122
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Newborn care practices that best promote the health and well-being of mother-infant dyads after birth while minimizing transmission of COVID-19 were uncertain at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.OBJECTIVE:
Examine variation in COVID-19 newborn care practices among U.S. birth hospitals and by hospital characteristics (U.S. census region, highest level of neonatal level of care, and Baby-Friendly hospital status). STUDYDESIGN:
We surveyed physicians via American Academy of Pediatrics email listservs and social media between 5/26/2020-6/8/2020. Physicians identified the birth hospital in which they provided newborn care and their hospital's approach to obstetrical and newborn care related to COVID-19. Chi-square tests were used to examine variation in hospital practices by U.S. census region, highest level of neonatal care, and Baby-Friendly hospital status.RESULTS:
Four hundred thirty three physicians responded from 318 hospitals across 46 states. Variation in care of SARS-CoV-2 positive mother-infant dyads was greatest for approaches to location of newborn care (31% separation, 17% rooming-in, and 51% based on shared-decision making), early skin-to-skin care (48% prohibited/discouraged, 11% encouraged, and 40% based on shared-decision making) and direct breastfeeding (37% prohibited/discouraged, 15% encouraged, and 48% based on shared-decision making). Among presumed uninfected dyads, 59% of hospitals discharged at least some mother-infant dyads early. We found variation in practices by U.S. census region.CONCLUSION:
Approaches to newborn care and breastfeeding support for mother-infant dyads with positive SARS-CoV-2 testing differed across U.S. birth hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Early discharge of presumed uninfected mother-infant dyads was common.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Physicians
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
Limits:
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Infant, Newborn
/
Pregnancy
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
BMC Pediatr
Journal subject:
Pediatrics
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S12887-022-03129-0
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