Outcomes of Late-Preterm and Term Infants Born to SARS-CoV-2-Positive Mothers

With the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Korea, the number of pregnant women infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is rapidly increasing. A shortage of negative-pressure isolation rooms for newborns makes hospital assignment more difficult for late-pregnant women with COVID-19. Among 34 infants born to SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers, 5 (14.7%) presented with respiratory distress and 1 (2.9%) presented with feeding intolerance that required specialized care. Aerosolgenerating procedures were performed in one infant. Overall outcomes of 34 infants were favorable, and no infant tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Most infants born to SARS-CoV-2positive mothers did not need to be quarantined in a negative-pressure isolation room, and 17 (50%) mother???infant dyads were eligible for rooming-in. If negative-pressure isolation rooms are selectively used for newborns requiring aerosol-generating procedures or newborns in respiratory distress, resource availability for lower-risk cases may improve.

Automated summary

With the increasing number of pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Korea, the shortage of negative-pressure isolation rooms for newborns poses challenges in hospital assignment. However, the overall outcomes of infants born to SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers are favorable, with a low percentage presenting with respiratory distress or feeding intolerance. Selectively using negative-pressure isolation rooms for high-risk cases may improve resource availability for lower-risk cases.