Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Well-Baby Nursery

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is associated with fewer deliveries and premature births; however, the impact of this pandemic on the well-baby nursery (WBN) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on infants admitted to the WBN by comparing pandemic and pre-pandemic cohorts. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective study of infants admitted to a WBN during the pandemic period (March 18, 2020-to-March 17, 2021) and compared them to those during the pre-pandemic period (March 18, 2019-to-March 17, 2020). Maternal (age, parity, gestation, method of delivery, and COVID-19 status) and neonatal (sex, weight, Apgar score, feeding pattern, urine toxicology, and neonatal intensive care unit [NICU] admission) data were collected and compared between the two periods. The results were statistically analyzed, and significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: There were 824 and 859 WBN admissions during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods, respectively; a 4% decrease in WBN admissions during the pandemic period. During the pandemic period, the number of deliveries among nulliparous women increased (from 40.3% to 45.1%; p=0.01), and deliveries among multiparous women decreased (from 59.2% to 53.1%; p=0.01). The number of infants exposed to marijuana in-utero increased (24/149 screened vs. 12/146 screened; p=0.038), and transfers from WBN to NICU decreased (from 9% to 6%; p=0.044) during the pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the pre-pandemic period, the number of WBN admissions, multiparous deliveries, and NICU admissions decreased, while the number of nulliparous deliveries and infants exposed to marijuana in-utero increased during the pandemic period.

No change in mother's own milk provision and breastfeeding rates in preterm infants during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Possible explanations include stress and anxiety during the pandemic, as parents were more likely to delay or postpone pregnancy or to have fewer children, and restricted access to fertility clinics. Our finding was consistent with other studies from well‐baby nurseries 19 …”

“…Our finding was consistent with other studies from well-baby nurseries. 19 Duration of MOM provision in VLBW infants did not differ be- The authors explored their study population for indicators of socioeconomic deprivation and found an increase in MOM for the private insurance group. 16 In a related study, a large cohort of infants admitted to two neonatal units before and during the TA B L E 1 Parental and infant characteristics.…”

Higher NICU admissions in infants born at ≥35 weeks gestational age during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Other studies have shown no change in NICU admissions (24,28) and specifically a decrease in NICU admissions (29)(30)(31) for term infants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Differences in patient demographics may explain the differences between our study and others: we have a higher maternal hypertension rate (22%-26%), number of Hispanics (68%-73%), and majority of our patients are on public insurance.…”