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Birthing Experience and Perinatal Outcomes with COVID-19: A Prospective Study

Aim: To study childbirth experience of women with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) at our institute and to assess clinical characteristics, maternal, and perinatal outcomes of SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnancies. Materials and methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of all SARS-CoV-2-positive women who delivered at our institute from 1 September 2020 to 31 March 2021. The data was collected from labor room birth register, electronic medical record (EMR), and feedback questionnaire, Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences–Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (KIMS–CEQ), filled by women to express their childbirth experience. Results: Of the 50 women we studied, 84% were asymptomatic. In contrast to the majority of the studies published till now, preterm labor in our study was noted only in 12% cases. In our study, 62% delivered vaginally and cesarean section (CS) rate was 38%. All cesarean deliveries were done only for obstetric or fetal indications. A total of 6% women had minor peripartum complications. Majority of the neonates had normal appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respiration (APGAR) scores, and all were COVID-19 screen negative;12% required neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission;84% women opted to breastfeed their babies (direct breastfeeding or expressed breast milk) maintaining all precautions and hygiene they were taught;88% women experienced positive childbirth experience based on KIMS–CEQ score. Conclusion: In our study, the pregnancy complications including the pre-term labor and severity of COVID-19 are not found to be above those in screen negative pregnant women nor any case of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-19 reported. Our study is unique as it also assesses the birthing experience in women with COVID-19 which shows that most of them had a positive birth experience at our institute. The COVID-19 status should not deprive any women of her childbirth rights, although more precautions are warranted. Clinical significance: A positive or negative childbirth experience can have far-reaching consequences in life of a woman and the newborn. It is the need of the hour to address the important issue of positive birth experience, especially during the era of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The KIMS–CEQ provides an efficient tool to assess birthing experience of women with COVID-19.