Open AccessAlojamento Conjunto, Amamentação e Seguimento Neonatal de Recém-Nascidos de Mãe com COVID-19
Author(s) -
Isabel Martínez Brito,
Rita de Sousa,
Bruno Sanches,
J. Lorenzo Franco,
Susana Marcelino,
Anselmo Costa
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acta médica portuguesa
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1646-0758
pISSN - 0870-399X
DOI - 10.20344/amp.15441
Subject(s) - medicine , breastfeeding , pediatrics , neonatal intensive care unit , asymptomatic , gestational age , birth weight , covid-19 , observational study , intensive care , obstetrics , pregnancy , intensive care medicine , disease , biology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , genetics
Due to growing evidence suggesting COVID-19 may have a benign course in the newborn, a number of guidelines supporting rooming-in and breastfeeding were developed. The main aim of the study was to assess the safety of this approach, through the risk of developing severe neonatal infection.Material and Methods: Prospective observational study from April 2020 to February 2021 on the approach and neonatal follow-up of infants born to mothers with COVID-19 at the time of delivery in a hospital with advanced neonatal care, where rooming in and breastfeeding were promoted whenever possible. We collected data during hospital admission and over the phone during the neonatal period.Results: We included 77 infants born to mothers with COVID-19 (3.8% of newborns born during the time of study), median gestational age 39 weeks + 5 days and median birth weight 3270 g; 9% were born premature (versus 12% born premature among newborns born during the time of study). Rooming-in took place in all of them although 4% were briefly admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; 88% were discharged home up to day three, 97% were breastfed at the time of discharge and 90% were still breastfed by the end of the neonatal period. We completed neonatal follow-up of 63 newborns, eight of them developed COVID-associated symptoms, three with need of medical evaluation; 40% had no medical assessment after being discharged. Out of 77, 5% of infants were infected with SARS-CoV-2 (total of four, one mild, three asymptomatic), with no significant differences during hospital stay or follow-up.Discussion: Neonatal infection was uncommon and mild, and there was no increase in prematurity. Rooming-in and breastfeeding were safe and should be promoted whenever clinically possible. Follow-up care after hospital discharge needs improvement.Conclusion: Infants born to mothers with COVID-19 were safely roomed in with their mothers and exclusively breastfed.