Accepted Article

MISS SHANNON M. GLYNN (Orcid ID : 0000-0001-9705-0642)

DR. DANIEL W SKUPSKI (Orcid ID : 0000-0003-1504-0024)

Article type : Main research article

Pregnancy and postpartum outcomes in a universally tested population for SARS-

CoV-2 in New York City: A prospective cohort study

Malavika Prabhu (1)

Kristen Cagino (1)
Kathy C. Matthews (1)
Rachel L. Friedlander (2)
Shannon M. Glynn (2)
Jeffrey M. Kubiak (3)
Yawei J. Yang (3)
Zhen Zhao (3)
Rebecca N. Baergen (3)
Jennifer I. DiPace (4)
Armin S. Razavi (1, 5)
Daniel W. Skupski (1, 5)
Jon R. Snyder (1, 6)
Harjot K. Singh (7)
Robin B. Kalish (1)
Corrina M. Oxford (1)
Laura E. Riley (1)

This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been
through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to
differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi:
10.1111/1471-0528.16403
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 Affiliations
Accepted Article
1 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY. 525 E.
68th St, New York, NY 10065.
2 Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY. 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065
3 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY.
525 E. 68th St, New York, NY 10065.
4 Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY. 525 E. 68th St, New York,
NY 10065.
5 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, NewYork Presbyterian Queens, Queens, NY.
56-45 Main Street, Flushing, NY 11355.
6 Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, NewYork Presbyterian Lower Manhattan
Hospital, New York, NY. 170 William St, New York, NY 10038.
7 Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork Presbyterian Lower
Manhattan Hospital, New York, NY. 170 William St, New York, NY 10038.

Corresponding Author
Malavika Prabhu, MD
Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Weill Cornell Medicine
525 E 68th St, Suite J130
New York, NY 10065
Phone: 212-746-3061
Email: map9403@[Link]

Word count: 3216

Short title
Pregnancy outcomes of COVID19

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 Abstract
Accepted Article
Objective: To describe differences in outcomes between pregnant women with and without
COVID-19.

Design: Prospective cohort study of pregnant women consecutively admitted for delivery,
and universally tested via nasopharyngeal (NP) swab for SARS-CoV-2 using reverse
transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). All infants of mothers with COVID-19
underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing.

Setting: Three New York City hospitals

Population: Pregnant women > 20 weeks’ gestation admitted for delivery

Methods: Data were stratified by SARS-CoV-2 result and symptomatic status, and
summarized using parametric and nonparametric tests.

Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence and outcomes of maternal COVID-19; obstetric

outcomes; neonatal SARS-CoV-2; placental pathology.

Results:
Of 675 women admitted for delivery, 10.4% were positive for SARS-CoV-2, of whom 78.6%
were asymptomatic. We observed differences in sociodemographics and comorbidities
between women with symptomatic vs. asymptomatic vs. no COVID-19. Cesarean delivery
rates were 46.7% in symptomatic COVID-19, 45.5% in asymptomatic COVID-19, and 30.9%
without COVID-19 (p=0.044). Postpartum complications (fever, hypoxia, readmission)
occurred in 12.9% of women with COVID-19 vs 4.5% of women without COVID-19
(p<0.001). No woman required mechanical ventilation, and no maternal deaths occurred.
Among 71 infants tested, none were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Placental pathology

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 demonstrated increased frequency of fetal vascular malperfusion, indicative of thrombi in
Accepted Article
fetal vessels, in women with vs. without COVID-19 (48.3% vs 11.3%, p <0.001).

Conclusion:
Among pregnant women with COVID-19 at delivery, we observed increased cesarean
delivery rates and increased frequency of maternal complications in the postpartum period.
Additionally, intraplacental thrombi may have maternal and fetal implications for COVID-19
infections remote from delivery.

Funding: None

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, pregnancy, vertical transmission, postpartum

complications, placental pathology

Tweetable abstract
COVID-19 at delivery: more cesarean deliveries, postpartum complications, and
intraplacental thrombi.

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 Introduction
Accepted Article
On March 1, 2020, New York City reported its first case of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-
19), the respiratory illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2
(SARS-CoV-2). Three weeks later, the cases in New York City had risen to 9,045 cases1.
While medical units rapidly adapted to care for patients with COVID-19, obstetric units
continued to provide care to their typical volume of patients. In addition, obstetric units
planned for the implications of maternal COVID-19 infection on maternal and newborn care2.
In response to the exponential increase in COVID-19 cases in New York City, and the
realization that COVID-19 symptoms overlapped with normal pregnancy symptoms, our
hospital system recommended universal testing of all pregnant women admitted to Labor &
Delivery.

Data on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy outcomes are emerging. A case series of
118 pregnant women from Wuhan, China, with suspected or confirmed COVID-19,
demonstrated that 8% of women had severe disease.3 Within the 118 women, 68 women
delivered, 93% of whom had a cesarean delivery and 21% of whom delivered prematurely.
No perinatal transmission events were documented. In a cohort of 161 pregnant women
admitted to Labor & Delivery and universally tested for SARS-CoV-2 outside of New York
City, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 20%.4 A recent series of 64 severe or critically ill
pregnant women from the United States demonstrated high rates of cesarean delivery and
prematurity, as well as described the typical clinical course in these women.5 Finally, a large
cohort from the United Kingdom Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) demonstrated
greater morbidity due to COVID-19 among pregnant women with medical comorbidities and
women of black or other ethnic minorities. In addition, there was an increased rate of
prematurity and cesarean delivery, as well as critical illness, compared to a historical control
group6.

We report the results of a prospective cohort study among all pregnant women admitted to
Labor & Delivery units at 3 academic and affiliated institutions in New York City, and

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 universally tested for SARS-CoV-2. We describe the clinical presentation, obstetric and
Accepted Article
neonatal outcomes, and placental pathology associated with COVID-19 in pregnancy, as
compared to women without COVID-19 at the time of delivery.

Methods
We conducted a prospective cohort study of consecutive pregnant women greater than 20
weeks’ gestation admitted to Labor and Delivery at 3 institutions in New York City: NewYork
Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, an academic tertiary care hospital, NewYork
Presbyterian-Lower Manhattan Hospital, a community affiliate in Manhattan, and NewYork
Presbyterian-Queens, a community teaching affiliate and tertiary care center in Queens, NY.
Universal testing for SARS-CoV-2 was recommended on March 22, 2020, and implemented
between March 22, 2020 and March 24, 2020 at each of 3 sites, as the capacity for testing
was made available. Women underwent a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab for SARS-CoV-2
testing using a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay on the day
of admission to Labor and Delivery. Patients were tested on one of the following SARS-CoV-
2 RT-PCR clinical testing platforms depending on availability, in order to ensure the fastest
turn-around time: Altona (internally developed, Food and Drug Administration [FDA]
emergency use authorization approved assay), Roche Cobas 6800 (FDA approved), and
Cepheid Xpert Xpress (FDA approved). Daily hospital admissions logs were reviewed to
ensure complete data capture of all delivered women.

Upon presentation to Labor and Delivery, women were evaluated for the following symptoms
of COVID-19: self-reported fever, cough, sore throat, rhinorrhea, shortness of breath,
diarrhea, other gastrointestinal symptoms, or myalgias. Obstetric management was not
altered based on symptom status or a positive RT-PCR result, with the exception of the
implementation of droplet and contact precautions.

Upon delivery, healthy neonates roomed in with mothers with a positive result for COVID-19,
but were placed in an isolette 6 feet away from the mother, and mothers were instructed to

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 wear a mask at all times. Prior to breastfeeding, mothers performed hand hygiene and
Accepted Article
cleansed the breast. If the mother was unable to care for the neonate due to her clinical
status, the infant was isolated in the newborn nursery. Neonates requiring a higher level of
care were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit as clinically indicated.

All infants of mothers with positive RT-PCR results for COVID-19 underwent a NP swab for
SARS-CoV-2, initially on day of life zero. On April 1, 2020, a change in the clinical protocol
was made to distinguish maternal contamination from established infection, and neonatal NP
swabs were collected at 24 hours of life.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, all institutions in our hospital system offered early
discharge for women and neonates with clinical stability, at 24 hours after vaginal delivery
(typical length of stay 48 hours prior to COVID-19 pandemic) and 48 hours after cesarean
delivery (typical length of stay 72 hours prior to COVID-19 pandemic). COVID-19 infection
did not preclude early discharge if clinical stability was met.

For each woman, demographic (age, race, ethnicity, insurance status), clinical, obstetric,
laboratory, and imaging data were abstracted from the electronic medical record at each
institution and recorded in REDCap. Additional data was abstracted regarding the need for
respiratory support, intensive care unit (ICU) care, and adjunctive therapies administered for
COVID-19. For each neonate, clinical and laboratory data were abstracted, including results
of SARS-CoV-2 testing as indicated. All maternal readmissions that occurred through April
27, 2020 were captured; follow-up is ongoing.

At one clinical site (Weill Cornell Medical Center), placental pathology was interpreted using
standardized placental examination for all women with COVID-19. Data on placental
pathology for asymptomatic women without COVID-19 who had another clinical indication
for placental pathology was also performed per institutional protocol. Gross examination and
sectioning of placentas was performed using standard procedures. Placentas were fixed in

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 10% formalin, processed and then embedded into paraffin blocks. Routine hematoxylin and
Accepted Article
eosin staining was performed, and all placentas from women with a positive RT-PCR result
for SARS-CoV-2 were examined histologically by one perinatal pathologist (RNB). Lesions
were diagnosed based on Amsterdam criteria7 and scored whether the following categories
of histologic lesions were present or absent: fetal vascular malperfusion, maternal vascular
malperfusion, chorioamnionitis, chronic villitis, meconium staining, and umbilical cord
abnormalities. This placental work is an extension of that previously reported, and 20 of the
29 placentas have been previously published as a series; in the current study we provide
summative histologic findings in 29 placentas and compare these to placentas in SARS-
CoV-2 negative women, in addition to reporting the placental pathology in the context of the
full clinical presentation and outcome8.

This study describes the findings from the first 28 days of universal testing for SARS-CoV-2
at each site. No sample size calculation was performed for this study. We calculated the
prevalence of COVID-19 in pregnant women, stratified by symptom status, and report the
maternal, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes associated with COVID-19 at the time of
delivery. We also present the results of the pathologic examinations of 28 placentas of
mothers with COVID-19 at one site, compared to a selection of placentas of women at that
site without a positive result for SARS-CoV-2. These outcomes were developed by the study
investigators, and no patients were involved in the study design or selection of outcomes. A
core outcome set was not used for this study.

We used parametric and nonparametric descriptive statistics to examine these differences

by group (symptomatic SARS-CoV-2, asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 negative),
using a t-test to compare means, a Wilcoxon rank-sum test to compare medians, and a chi-
square test to compare categorical variables, with a Fisher’s exact test for any variable with
a cell <=5.

All data were analyzed using StataSE 14 (College Station, TX).

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Accepted Article
This study was approved by the institutional review board at Weill Cornell Medicine, protocol
20-03021682, on March 31, 2020. This study was not funded.

Results
Prevalence and clinical characteristics of COVID-19
Within the first 28 days of universal testing, 675 pregnant women were admitted for delivery,
of whom 70 (10.4%) were positive by RT-PCR for COVID-19. Of all pregnant women with
COVID-19, 55 (78.6%) were asymptomatic on presentation.

When the cohort was stratified by symptomatic COVID-19, asymptomatic COVID-19, and
absence of COVID-19, we observed differences in demographics (age, race, ethnicity, and
insurance status) and comorbidities (chronic hypertension, pregestational diabetes, and
obesity) (Table 1).

Clinical presentation and maternal outcomes

Vital signs and admission laboratory studies among all women with COVID-19 at the time of
delivery were normal on presentation (Table 2). Among the 15 pregnant women with
symptomatic COVID-19, cough was the most common presenting symptom, occurring in 7
(46.7%) women. These women had few additional symptoms on admission, yet 5 (33.3%)
developed additional symptoms intrapartum, the most common being fever.

Among the 55 pregnant women with asymptomatic COVID-19, 13 women (23.6%) reported
symptoms that had resolved prior to presentation, and 7 women (12.7%) developed
symptoms after admission, the most common also being intrapartum fever.

Only three women in the cohort developed hypoxia during the delivery admission. One
woman admitted with symptomatic COVID-19 at 37 weeks’ gestation was transferred to the
intensive care unit (ICU) for hypoxia in the setting of multifocal pneumonia and pulmonary

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 edema. She was treated with hydroxychloroquine and antibiotics and had an uncomplicated
Accepted Article
spontaneous vaginal delivery of a healthy neonate on hospital day 3. Hypoxia resolved on
postpartum day 3.

Two other women with COVID-19 developed hypoxia in the postpartum period. One
symptomatic woman who underwent a cesarean delivery developed multifocal pneumonia
and required oxygen support for 7 days postpartum while inpatient. Another woman with
asymptomatic COVID-19 and preeclampsia with severe features developed dyspnea and
pulmonary edema on the day of her cesarean delivery. She then developed fever on post-
operative day 2, for which IV antibiotic and hydroxychloroquine therapy were administered,
and hypoxia on post-operative day 3 requiring oxygen supplementation until post-operative
day 5.

No woman required mechanical ventilation during the delivery hospitalization; there were no
maternal deaths during the study period.

Obstetric outcomes
The median gestational age at admission was 39 weeks’ gestation across all women from
the three groups. A livebirth occurred among 15 (100%) women with symptomatic COVID-
19, 54 (98.2%) women with asymptomatic COVID-19, and 599 (99.0%) women without
COVID-19 (p=0.54) (Table 2). There was one fetal demise at 37 weeks’ gestation in a
woman with asymptomatic COVID-19 and poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. Placental
pathology was normal, and the autopsy is pending. Of the 6 stillbirths among women without
COVID-19, all occurred between 20 and 25 weeks’ gestation.

There were no differences in the preterm birth rate less than 37 weeks gestation (p=0.16).
Mode of delivery was statistically significantly different across the three groups, with
cesarean deliveries occurring in 7 (46.7%), 25 (45.5%), and 187 (30.9%) women with

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 symptomatic COVID-19, asymptomatic COVID-19, and no COVID-19, respectively
Accepted Article
(p=0.044). There were no differences in the indication for cesarean delivery (p=0.83).

Although the frequency of intrapartum fever was not different across groups, rates of
postpartum fevers differed, occurring in 5 (33.3%) of symptomatic women with COVID-19, 3
(5.5%) of asymptomatic women with COVID-19, and 17 (2.8%) of women without COVID-
19.

The distribution of postpartum readmissions was also different by group, occurring in 1

(6.7%) woman with symptomatic COVID-19, 2 (3.6%) women asymptomatic COVID-19, and
9 (1.5%) women without COVID-19 (p=0.019). The three women with COVID-19 were
readmitted within 7 days of discharge due to hypoxia and tachypnea, two of whom were
asymptomatic upon delivery admission. All three women had chest imaging demonstrating
multifocal pneumonia and required oxygen supplementation by nasal cannula. Two women
received hydroxychloroquine therapy, one woman also received broad-spectrum antibiotics,
and two women were discharged home on oxygen supplementation. The range of
postpartum readmission lengths of stay was 3.4-4.1 days.

Overall, 9 (12.9%) women with COVID-19 infections had postpartum complications as

described above – postpartum fever, postpartum hypoxia, or postpartum readmission for
new onset hypoxia, as against 27 (4.5%) of women without COVID-19 infections (p<0.001).

Neonatal outcomes
A total of 73 infants were born to 70 mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 71 infants had
a nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 performed (Table 3). No infants had a positive RT-
PCR result for SARS-CoV-2 within 24 hours of birth.

There were no differences in birthweight, Apgar scores, or location of neonatal admission

across all three groups of pregnant women. Although there were no neonatal readmissions

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 during the study period, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all neonatal readmissions at this
Accepted Article
hospital system were diverted to another hospital not included in this study.

Placental pathology
Placental pathology was performed for 28/30 (93.3%) women with COVID-19 and 99/305
(32.5%) women without COVID-19 at one site (Table 4). Evidence of fetal vascular
malperfusion was noted among 14/29 (48.3%) placentas of women with COVID-19, versus
12/106 (11.3%) placentas among women without COVID-19 (p<0.001). These placentas
were noted to have thrombi in the fetal vessels. Meconium staining was also more frequent
among women with COVID-19, occurring in 18/29 (62.1%) versus 33/106 (31.1%) of
placentas of women without COVID-19 (p=0.004). There were no differences in the
frequency of histologic chorioamnionitis by group (p=0.92) or chronic villitis by group
(p=0.36).

Discussion
Main Findings
In this cohort of 675 pregnant women presenting for delivery and universally tested for
SARS-CoV-2, 10.4% of women were positive. Although the clinical presentation of COVID-
19 was asymptomatic in the majority of cases, new symptomatology or clinical worsening
occurred within the first 7 days postpartum among 13% of women with COVID-19. There
were no maternal deaths, and one woman was admitted to the ICU. Cesarean delivery was
more common among women with COVID-19. No cases of neonatal transmission of SARS-
CoV-2 were detected among 71 infants tested. Placental pathology demonstrated evidence
of thrombosis in the fetal circulation of the placenta among 48% of women with COVID-19.

Strengths and Limitations

Our study has several strengths. First, this is a large prospective cohort study across 3
institutions in New York City, serving a diverse patient population, detailing the outcomes of
pregnant women with COVID-19 infection alongside a contemporary cohort of uninfected

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 women. Second, we had complete data capture of obstetric and neonatal outcomes from
Accepted Article
women admitted during this time period, minimizing selection bias. Third, we were able to
capture placental pathologic outcomes in a subset of women with COVID-19 at one site.

Our study is subject to limitations. While we report women with COVID-19 infection as being
symptomatic or asymptomatic based on self-report at the time of admission, some women
were possibly pre-symptomatic, and thus miscategorized. Women may have also withheld
reporting their symptoms out of concern about implications of having COVID-19 infection. As
the majority of women were asymptomatic on admission, additional laboratory evaluation of
women with COVID-19 infection was seldom performed once the RT-PCR result was
available. Therefore, we are not able to comment on the laboratory findings associated with
symptomatic versus asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in pregnancy.

Additionally, we did not evaluate contact history among women who were SARS-CoV-2
negative. Therefore, women with negative RT-PCR results and a positive contact history
may have been misclassified. Finally, the placental pathologist was not blinded to any
clinical diagnosis in either the SARS-CoV-2 positive or SARS-CoV-2 negative cohorts, which
may have led to biases in the interpretation of the placental pathology.

Interpretation
Differences in age and insurance status may reflect characteristics of individuals with less
ability to practice physical distancing. The racial and ethnic differences noted are challenging
to interpret due to a high rate of missing data. Similarly, although there appear to increased
frequencies of chronic hypertension, pregestational diabetes, and obesity among women
with COVID-19, consistent with risk factors for COVID-19 in non-pregnant populations as
well as data from the UKOSS, conclusions about risk factors are hard to draw due to the
small absolute numbers of patients represented6,9.

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 We noted an increased cesarean delivery rate among women with COVID-19, despite no
Accepted Article
differences in the indications for cesarean delivery and no recommended changes in
obstetric management due to COVID-19 status. Although the absolute rate of cesarean
delivery was high, it remains lower than that seen in the Chinese case series, or in data from
the UKOSS 3,6. While the frequency of intrapartum fever was not statistically different by
group, it is possible that the presence of intrapartum fever, which was treated as
chorioamnionitis, may be associated with an increased risk of cesarean delivery.
Additionally, differences in baseline comorbidities may also play a role in the differences in
cesarean delivery rates. However, based on the data available, we are not able to know
what ultimately led to an increased cesarean delivery rate among women with COVID-19,
and this deserves further study.

We also observed no differences in the preterm birth rate between women with and without
COVID-19. This is a notable difference from the initial high rate reported out of Wuhan,
China3. Our findings also differ from data from the UKOSS, where preterm birth > 32 weeks
gestation appeared more common among women with COVID-19 than a historical control
group of women without COVID-196.

Although our experience demonstrates generally favorable outcomes for women during
labor and for their neonates, we observed that the postpartum period is a vulnerable time for
women with COVID-19 at the time of delivery, as noted by in the Chinese series3. Several
mechanisms may coincide to lead to this observation. First, the normal physiology of the
immediate postpartum period may predispose women to develop or have worsening in
respiratory symptoms, given the autotransfusion at the time of delivery, increased vascular
resistance with placental delivery, and intravascular fluid shifting that occurs within days of
delivery. This physiologic response may intersect in a deleterious manner with the reported
cytokine elaboration associated with COVID-19 infection, and further study on these
mechanisms is necessary10,11.

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 We also observed an increase in the frequency of postpartum fevers, and a trend toward
Accepted Article
increased intrapartum fevers, among women with symptomatic COVID-19 infections.
Although women with peripartum fever are commonly presumed to have intrauterine
infections, such fevers have previously been demonstrated to be attributable to a cytokine
response12,13. Thus, the incidence of fevers may be non-infectious and herald the onset of
other clinical symptoms of COVID-19.

Given our findings, postpartum women with COVID-19 infection may benefit from close
outpatient monitoring via home pulse oximetry monitoring and frequent telehealth visits.
Elucidating risk factors for postpartum readmission among this population is also important.

We also observed an increased frequency of fetal vascular malperfusion, a placental lesion

characterized by thrombosis in fetal vessels and avascular villi, as well as an increased
frequency of meconium-stained placentas. Fetal vascular malperfusion is associated with
fetal demise, fetal growth restriction, oligohydramnios, and neonatal encephalopathy.14
Although neonatal outcomes were overwhelmingly reassuring, we note that the vast majority
of neonates were likely born in close temporal relationship to the acute COVID-19 infection,
given the timing of this study with relation to the pandemic in New York City. The
implications of these findings on neonatal outcomes that occur earlier in the pregnancy are
unclear. Consideration for antenatal testing and serial growth ultrasounds may be warranted
given these findings.

Given the observations of thromboses in the placenta, the known increased risks of venous
thromboembolic disease (VTE) in the postpartum period, the demonstrated coagulopathy
associated with severe COVID-19 infections15,16, women with COVID-19 infections, even if
asymptomatic, may be at increased risks for VTE events, and prophylactic anticoagulation
postpartum may also be warranted, consistent with other recommendations.17,18

Conclusion

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 In our prospective cohort study of universal testing for SARS-CoV-2 at the time of delivery
Accepted Article
admission in New York City, maternal outcomes with COVID-19 infection peri-delivery were
reassuring. However, the postpartum period may pose an increased risk for women with
COVID-19 infection, and additional observation is warranted. Neonatal outcomes were
reassuring, with no events of vertical transmission observed. In light of the placental
pathologic findings, the implications on obstetric and neonatal outcomes when acute
COVID-19 infection occurs remote from delivery are not known.

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 Acknowledgements
Accepted Article
None

Disclosures
LER reports personal fees from UpToDate and GlaxoSmithKline, outside of the submitted
work.
ZZ reports non-financial support and other (seed instrument) from ET Healthcare.
All other authors report no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript.
Completed disclosure of interest forms are available to view online as supporting
information.

Author Roles
MP: study design, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing
KC: data abstraction, manuscript writing
KCM: data abstraction, manuscript writing
RLF: data abstraction, manuscript writing
SMG: data abstraction, manuscript writing
JMK: data acquisition and interpretation, critical manuscript revision
YJY: study design, data acquisition and interpretation, manuscript writing
ZZ: data acquisition and interpretation, critical manuscript revision
RNB: study design, data interpretation, manuscript writing
JID: study design, critical manuscript revision
ASR: study design, critical manuscript revision
DWS: study design, critical manuscript revision
JRS: study design, critical manuscript revision
HKS: study design, critical manuscript revision
RBK: study design, critical manuscript revision
CMO: study design, critical manuscript revision
LER: study design, data interpretation, manuscript writing

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Accepted Article
All authors agree with the final version, and agree to be accountable to the integrity of the
data published.

Funding
This study did not have any funding.

Ethics approval
This study was approved by the institutional review board at Weill Cornell Medicine, protocol
20-03021682, on 3/31/2020.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Accepted Article
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Table 1. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics at the time of presentation for delivery, stratified by SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result and
symptomatic status
SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2 RT-
RT-PCR Positive PCR Negative
Symptomatic Asymptomatic p-value
N=15 N=55 N=605
Sociodemographics
Age, median (IQR) years 30.5 (26.1-36.8) 31.4 (26.6-37.2) 34.0 (30.9-37.1) 0.012
Race, n (%) <0.001
White 4 (26.7%) 11 (20.0%) 235 (38.8%)
Black 2 (13.3%) 9 (16.4%) 25 (4.1%)
Asian 2 (13.3%) 7 (12.7%) 196 (32.4%)
Unknown 7 (46.7%) 28 (50.9%) 149 (24.6%)
Ethnicity, n (%) <0.001
Hispanic 4 (26.7%) 15 (27.3%) 50 (8.3%)
Non-Hispanic 10 (66.7%) 23 (41.8%) 376 (62.1%)
Unknown 1 (6.7%) 17 (30.9%) 179 (29.6%)
Insurance, n (%) <0.001
Public 7 (46.7%) 27 (49.1%) 157 (26.0%)
Private 8 (53.3%) 28 (50.9%) 448 (74.0%)
Site, n (%) 0.004
NYP-WCM 6 (40.0%) 24 (43.6%) 304 (50.2%)
NYP-Queens 7 (46.7%) 25 (45.5%) 151 (25.0%)
NYP-LMH 2 (13.3%) 6 (10.9%) 150 (24.8%)
Clinical Characteristics
Gravidity, median (IQR) 2.0 (2.0-5.0) 2.0 (1.0-3.0) 2.0 (1.0-3.0) 0.18
Parity, median (IQR) 1.0 (0.0-2.0) 0.0 (0.0-1.0) 1.0 (0.0-1.0) 0.25
Gestational age on admission, median
(IQR) weeks 38.7 (37.4-39.9) 39.0 (37.6-39.6) 39.1 (38.4-39.7) 0.11
Indications for admission, n (%) <0.001
Labor indications 7 (46.7%) 30 (54.5%) 262 (43.3%)
Fetal indications 1 (6.7%) 4 (7.3%) 26 (4.3%)
Scheduled delivery 3 (20.0%) 13 (23.6%) 258 (42.6%)
COVID-19-like symptoms 2 (13.3%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)
Preterm labor or preterm premature
rupture of membranes 1 (6.7%) 2 (3.6%) 25 (4.1%)
Other 1 (6.7%) 6 (10.9%) 34 (5.6%)
 Comorbidities
Chronic hypertension, n (%) 3 (20.0%) 0 (0.0%) 13 (2.1%) 0.006
Pre-eclampsia or gestational
hypertension, n (%) 3 (20.0%) 8 (14.5%) 56 (9.3%) 0.14
Pregestational diabetes mellitus, n (%) 1 (6.7%) 3 (5.5%) 7 (1.2%) 0.021
Gestational diabetes mellitus, n (%) 3 (20.0%) 3 (5.5%) 54 (8.9%) 0.20
Asthma, n (%) 2 (13.3%) 4 (7.3%) 35 (5.8%) 0.26
Pre-pregnancy BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2a, n (%) 5 (83.3%) 7 (22.6%) 50 (14.5%) <0.001
Smoking, n (%) 1 (6.7%) 0 (0.0%) 4 (0.7%) 0.16
a Data incompletely available for this variable due to incomplete capture of pre-pregnancy BMI
Table 2. Maternal presentation of COVID-19 infection, and maternal and obstetric outcomes, stratified by SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result and
symptomatic status
SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2
RT-PCR Positive RT-PCR
Negative
Symptomatic Asymptomatic p-value
N=15 N=55 N=605
Maternal Presentation at Admission
Temperature, mean (SD) C 37.0 (0.7) 36.8 (0.3) -- 0.17
Heart rate, mean (SD) beats per minute 91.8 (11.1) 88.4 (17.3) -- 0.47
Respiratory rate, mean (SD) breaths per --
19.5 (5.5) 18.0 (2.0) 0.11
minute
Oxygen saturation, median (IQR) % 99.0 (97.0-100.0) 99.0 (98.0-100.0) -- 0.60
White blood cell count, mean (SD) 8.8 (2.4) 9.0 (3.1) -- 0.78
Platelet count, mean (SD) 231.8 (101.5) 207.9 (72.4) -- 0.30
Maternal Outcomes
Need for respiratory support, n (%) 2 (13.3%) 1 (1.8%) -- 0.11
Abnormal chest imaging findings, n (%) 3 (20.0%) 2 (3.6%) -- 0.062
ICU admission, n (%) 1 (6.7%) 0 (0.0%) -- 0.21
Treatment administered, n (%) -- 0.45
Hydroxychloroquine 2 (13.3%) 3 (5.5%) --
Azithromycin 0 (0.0%) 2 (3.6%) --
None 13 (86.7%) 50 (90.9%) --
Obstetric Outcomes
Livebirth, n (%) 15 (100.0%) 54 (98.2%) 599 (99.0%) 0.54
Preterm birth <37 weeks’ gestation, n (%) 2 (13.3%) 9 (16.4%) 57 (9.4%) 0.16
Mode of deliverya, n (%) 0.044
Vaginal delivery 8 (53.3%) 30 (54.5%) 417 (68.9%)
Cesarean delivery 7 (46.7%) 25 (45.5%) 187 (30.9%)
Indication for cesarean delivery, n (%) 0.83
Nonreassuring fetal status 1 (6.7%) 3 (5.5%) 23 (3.8%)
Labor indications 2 (13.3%) 7 (12.7%) 33 (5.5%)
Scheduled repeat 2 (13.3%) 6 (10.9%) 74 (12.2%)
Multiple gestation 0 (0.0%) 2 (3.6%) 11 (1.8%)
Malpresentation 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.8%) 13 (2.1%)
Other 2 (13.3%) 6 (10.9%) 33 (5.5%)
Multiple gestation, n (%) 0 (0.0%) 4 (7.3%) 15 (2.5%) 0.12
 Intrapartum feverb, n (%) 3 (27.3%) 4 (9.5%) 38 (8.1%) 0.093
Postpartum hemorrhage > 1000mL, n (%) 1 (6.7%) 2 (3.6%) 38 (6.3%) 0.74
Postpartum fever, n (%) 5 (33.3%) 3 (5.5%) 17 (2.8%) <0.001
Etiology of postpartum fever, n (%) <0.001
Endometritis 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 8 (1.3%)
COVID-19 3 (20.0%) 1 (1.8%) 0 (0.0%)
Endometritis or COVID-19, cannot
2 (13.3%) 2 (3.6%) 1 (0.2%)
differentiate
Other 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 8 (1.3%)
Length of stay, median (IQR) days 3.6 (2.1) 2.6 (1.1) 2.5 (1.1) <0.001
Postpartum readmission, n (%) 1 (6.7%) 2 (3.6%) 9 (1.5%) 0.019
a 1 woman who was SARS-CoV-2 negative had a dilation and evacuation <24 weeks gestation
b Denominator is women who labored – 11 women with symptomatic COVID-19 infection, 42 women with asymptomatic COVID-19
infection, and 469 women without COVID-19 infection
Table 3. Neonatal outcomes, stratified by maternal SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result and maternal symptomatic status
Maternal SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2
RT-PCR Positive RT-PCR
Negative
Symptomatic Asymptomatic p-value
N=15 N=58 N=614
Birthweight, mean (SD) grams 3149.6 (862.6) 3060.9 (606.9) 3197.6 (558.0) 0.21
5-minute Apgar score, median
9.0 (9.0-9.0) 9.0 (9.0-9.0) 9.0 (9.0-9.0) 0.96
(IQR)
Neonatal sex, n (%) 0.31
Male 10 (66.7%) 26 (44.8%) 315 (51.3%)
Female 5 (33.3%) 32 (55.2%) 299 (48.7%)
Location of neonatal dmission,
0.26
n (%)
Well-baby nursery 11 (73.3%) 48 (82.8%) 537 (87.5%)
Transitional care nursery 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.7%) 9 (1.5%)
Neonatal intensive care unit 4 (26.7%) 9 (15.5%) 68 (11.1%)
Result of neonatal SARS-
0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)
CoV-2 RT-PCRa, n (%)
Neonatal length of stay,
2.2 (1.9-3.4) 2.1 (1.6-2.7) 1.9 (1.4-2.3) 0.011
median (IQR) days
a The denominator is neonates who were tested – 14 neonates of women with symptomatic COVID-19 infection, 57 neonates of women
with asymptomatic COVID-19 infection, and 3 neonates of 614 women with a negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result
Table 4. Placental pathologic findings, stratified by SARS-CoV-2 status
SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR
SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive negative p-value
N=29a N=106b
Fetal vascular malperfusion, n (%) <0.001
Absent 15 (51.7%) 94 (88.7%)
Present 14 (48.3%) 12 (11.3%)
Maternal vascular malperfusion, n (%) 0.82
Absent 21 (72.4%) 73 (68.9%)
Present 8 (27.6%) 33 (31.1%)
Histologic evidence of chorioamnionitis, n (%) 0.92
None 26 (89.7%) 90 (84.9%)
Maternal response 1 (3.4%) 8 (7.5%)
Fetal response 0 (0.0%) 1 (0.9%)
Maternal and fetal response 2 (6.9%) 7 (6.6%)
Chronic villitis, n (%) 0.36
Absent 24 (82.8%) 93 (87.7%)
Low-grade 2 (6.9%) 9 (8.5%)
High-grade 3 (10.3%) 4 (3.8%)
Meconium staining of placenta, n (%) 0.004
Absent 11 (37.9%) 73 (68.9%)
Present 18 (62.1%) 33 (31.1%)
Umbilical cord abnormalities, n (%) 0.12
Absent 28 (96.6%) 89 (84.0%)
Present 1 (3.4%) 17 (16.0%)
Chorangiosis, n (%) 1.00
Absent 29 (100.0%) 105 (99.1%)
Focal 0 (0.0%) 1 (0.9%)
Other placental abnormalities, n (%) 1.00
None 26 (89.7%) 96 (90.6%)
Other 3 (10.3%) 10 (9.4%)
a Data is derived from 28 deliveries, including 1 delivery of a twin gestation, resulting in 29 placentas evaluated
b Data is derived from 99 deliveries, including 6 deliveries of twin gestations and 1 delivery of a triplet gestation, resulting in 106 placentas
evaluated