Management and Early Outcomes of Neonates Born to Women with SARS-CoV-2 in 16 US Hospitals

Objective There is a paucity of evidence to guide the clinical care of late preterm and term neonates born to women with perinatal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The objective of this case series is to describe early neonatal outcomes and inpatient management in U.S. hospitals. Study Design We solicited cases of mother-infant dyads affected by novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from the Better Outcomes through Research for Newborns (BORN) Network members. Using a structured case template, participating sites contributed deidentified, retrospective birth hospitalization data for neonates >= 35 weeks of gestation at birth with mothers who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 before delivery. We describe demographic and clinical characteristics, clinical management, and neonatal outcomes. Results Sixteen U.S. hospitals contributed 70 cases. Birth hospitalizations were uncomplicated for 66 (94%) neonates in which 4 (6%) required admission to a neonatal intensive care unit. None required evaluation or treatment for infection, and all who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 were negative ( n = 57). Half of the dyads were colocated ( n = 34) and 40% directly breastfed ( n = 28). Outpatient follow-up data were available for 13 neonates, all of whom remained asymptomatic. Conclusion In this multisite case series of 70 neonates born to women with SARS-CoV-2 infection, clinical outcomes were overall good, and there were no documented neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infections. Clinical management was largely inconsistent with contemporaneous U.S. COVID-19 guidelines for nursery care, suggesting concerns about the acceptability and feasibility of those recommendations. Longitudinal studies are urgently needed to assess the benefits and harms of current practices to inform evidence-based clinical care and aid shared decision-making.

Automated summary

This case series studied 70 neonates born to women with SARS-CoV-2 infection in U.S. hospitals. Most neonates had uncomplicated birth hospitalizations and none were found to have neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infections. Clinical management largely differed from contemporary U.S. COVID-19 guidelines, raising concerns about the acceptability and feasibility of those recommendations.