This activity is intended for healthcare providers delivering care to women and their families.
After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:
1. Discuss the evidence related to vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy
2. Describe maternal and fetal risks that were reported during previous outbreaks of atypical viral pneumonias
Estimated time to complete activity: 0.25 hours
Susan J. Gross, MD, FRCSC, FACOG, FACMG
President and CEO, The ObG Project
Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) requires instructors, planners, managers and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest (COI) they may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified COI are thoroughly vetted and resolved according to PIM policy. PIM is committed to providing its learners with high quality CME activities and related materials that promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial interest.
Faculty: Susan J. Gross, MD, receives consulting fees from Cradle Genomics, and has financial interest in The ObG Project, Inc.
Planners and Managers: The PIM planners and managers, Trace Hutchison, PharmD, Samantha Mattiucci, PharmD, CHCP, Judi Smelker-Mitchek, MBA, MSN, RN, and Jan Schultz, MSN, RN, CHCP have nothing to disclose.
Fees for participating and receiving CME credit for this activity are as posted on The ObG Project website. During the period from 02-28-2020 through 02-28-2021, participants must read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures and study the educational activity.
If you wish to receive acknowledgment for completing this activity, please complete the post-test and evaluation. Upon registering and successfully completing the post-test with a score of 100% and the activity evaluation, your certificate will be made available immediately.
For Pharmacists: Upon successfully completing the post-test with a score of 100% and the activity evaluation form, transcript information will be sent to the NABP CPE Monitor Service within 4 weeks.
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and The ObG Project. Postgraduate Institute for Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Postgraduate Institute for Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 0.2 contact hours.
Read Disclaimer & Fine PrintNOTE: Information and guidelines may change rapidly. Check in with listed references in ‘Learn More – Primary Sources’ to best keep up to date. This entry has been updated with the recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy
The spread of COVID-19 is being closely monitored worldwide. The following provides key highlights from major professional organizations along with valuable links to other resource hubs focused on COVID-19 and pregnancy
Although these data from the CDC suggest an increase in risk of severe outcomes in pregnant women with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, the absolute risk is still substantially lower than that of pandemic H1N1 influenza infection during pregnancy. During the H1N1 influenza pandemic, pregnant women made up 5% of deaths, despite only making up 1% of the population and pregnancy risk of ICU admission was reported as high as a 7-fold increase
The following is a summary with key highlights – the full CDC recommendations can be found at the Obstetric Healthcare Settings page (find link below in ‘Learn More – Primary Sources’ as well as link to ACOG Practice Advisory)
Visitors
Mother-Infant Separation: Vertical Transmission and Newborn Risk
Separation in order to reduce the risk of transmission from a mother with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 to her neonate may not be necessary
Infection Controls if No Separation
Breastfeeding when Mother has Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
Discharge Planning
Note: CDC defines hand hygiene as follows
Hand hygiene includes use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60% to 95% alcohol before and after all patient contact, contact with potentially infectious material, and before putting on and upon removal of PPE, including gloves. Hand hygiene can also be performed by washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If hands are visibly soiled, use soap and water before returning to alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
FDA
All pregnancies have a risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the US general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively
Available data on Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine administered to pregnant women are insufficient to inform vaccine-associated risks in pregnancy
Data are not available to assess the effects of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine on the breastfed infant or on milk production/excretion
ACOG
…COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant individuals who meet criteria for vaccination based on ACIP-recommended priority groups
COVID-19 vaccines should be offered to lactating individuals similar to non-lactating individuals when they meet criteria for receipt of the vaccine based on prioritization groups outlined by the ACIP
SMFM
In general, SMFM strongly recommends that pregnant women have access to COVID-19 vaccines in all phases of future vaccine campaigns, and that she and her healthcare professional engage in shared decision-making regarding her receipt of the vaccine
Healthcare professionals should also counsel their patients that the theoretical risk of fetal harm from mRNA vaccines is very low
SMFM recommends that healthcare workers, who are considered prioritized for vaccination, be offered the vaccine if pregnant
ASRM
Patients undergoing fertility treatment and pregnant patients should be encouraged to receive vaccination based on eligibility criteria
Patients who conceive in the window between the first and second dose of the vaccine should be offered the second dose of the vaccine at the appropriate interval
Available data indicate that COVID-19 vaccines do not cause infertility in women or men
In the randomized blinded Pfizer-BioNTech trial, a similar number of women conceived after receiving the vaccine as those who received the placebo
UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI)
SOGC
For individuals who are at high risk of infection and/or morbidity from COVID-19, it is the SOGC’s position that the documented risk of not getting the COVID-19 vaccine outweighs the theorized and undescribed risk of being vaccinated during pregnancy or while breastfeeding and vaccination should be offered
For an individual planning a pregnancy, it is recommended to complete the entire COVID-19 vaccination series (where possible) to achieve maximal vaccine efficacy ahead of pregnancy
It is not known whether an individual should delay pregnancy following receipt of the vaccine and a risk-benefit discussion for those planning pregnancy should occur similar to the discussion for pregnant and breastfeeding women
WHO
While pregnancy puts women at higher risk of severe COVID-19, very little data are available to assess vaccine safety in pregnancy.
Nevertheless, based on what we know about this kind of vaccine, we don’t have any specific reason to believe there will be specific risks that would outweigh the benefits of vaccination for pregnant women.
For this reason, those pregnant women at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (e.g. health workers) or who have comorbidities which add to their risk of severe disease, may be vaccinated in consultation with their health care provider
ACOG continues to review questions and data regarding the potential for aerosolization in the context of forceful exhalation during the second stage of labor
Tap Image to Open Algorithm
Fetal Surveillance and Management
In the setting of a mild infection, management similar to that for a patient recovering from influenza is reasonable. Given how little is known about this infection, a detailed midtrimester anatomy ultrasound examination may be considered following first-trimester maternal infection.
For those experiencing illness later in pregnancy, it is reasonable to consider sonographic assessment of fetal growth in the third trimester
Delivery Planning for Mildly Symptomatic or Asymptomatic Pregnant Patients
Delivery for Patients Who are Critically Ill
Although data regarding delivery timing and acute respiratory distress syndrome are limited, it is reasonable to consider delivery in the setting of worsening critical illness
COVID-19 Screening and Donor Programs
Educational Responsibilities
Providers should proactively and deliberately encourage patients to ask questions regarding COVID-19 and the pandemic throughout their treatment and may wish to counsel patients on reliable sources of information
Effect on Pregnant Women
Effects on Fetus and Neonate
Pregnant Healthcare Workers
Choices for pregnant healthcare workers prior to 28 weeks’ gestation: Following a risk assessment with their employer and occupational health, pregnant women should only be supported to continue working if the risk assessment advises that it is safe for them to do so. This means that employers must remove any risks (that are greater in the workplace than to what they would be exposed to outside of the workplace), or else they should be offered suitable alternative work
For pregnant women from 28 weeks’ gestation, or with underlying health conditions such as heart or lung disease at any gestation, a more precautionary approach is advised. Women in this category should be recommended to stay at home. For many healthcare workers, this may present opportunities to work flexibly from home in a different capacity, for example by undertaking telephone or videoconference consultations, or taking on administrative duties
Note: Find additional international professional guidelines below in ‘Learn More – Primary Sources’
CDC: Information for Healthcare Providers: COVID-19
CDC: People who are at higher risk for severe illness
CDC: Considerations for Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Settings
CDC: Evaluation and Management Considerations for Neonates At Risk for COVID-19
ACOG: Practice Advisory: Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
ACOG: COVID-19 FAQs for Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Obstetrics
ACOG: Vaccinating Pregnant and Lactating Patients Against COVID-19
ASRM UPDATE No. 11 – COVID-19 Vaccination
RCOG: Updated JCVI advice on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy and women who are breastfeeding
SOGC Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy
FDA: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
SMFM: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Page
ASRM: Patient Management and Clinical Recommendations During The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
RCOG: Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection and pregnancy
RCOG: Updated advice for pregnant healthcare workers and employers during the coronavirus outbreak
WHO: The Moderna COVID-19 (mRNA-1273) vaccine: what you need to know
RANZCOG: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice and Information
A case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in a pregnant woman with preterm delivery
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presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications and/or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.
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