Umbilical cord clamping and skin-to-skin contact in deliveries from women positive for SARS-CoV-2: a prospective observational study

Objective

To demonstrate that delayed cord clamping (DCC) is safe in mothers with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Design, setting and participants

Prospective observational study involving epidemiological information from 403 pregnant women with SARS‐CoV‐2 between 1 March and 31 May 2020. Data were collected from 70 centres that participate in the Spanish Registry of COVID‐19.

Methods

Patients' information was collected from their medical chart.

Main outcomes and measures

The rate of perinatal transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 and development of the infection in neonates within 14 days postpartum.

Results

The early cord clamping (ECC) group consisted of 231 infants (57.3%) and the DCC group consisted of 172 infants (42.7%). Five positive newborns (1.7% of total tests performed) were identified with the nasopharyngeal PCR tests performed in the first 12 hours postpartum, two from the ECC group (1.7%) and three from the DCC group (3.6%). No significant differences between groups were found regarding neonatal tests for SARS‐CoV‐2. No confirmed cases of vertical transmission were detected. The percentage of mothers who made skin‐to‐skin contact within the first 24 hours after delivery was significantly higher in the DCC group (84.3% versus 45.9%). Breastfeeding in the immediate postpartum period was also significantly higher in the DCC group (77.3% versus 50.2%).

Conclusions

The results of our study show no differences in perinatal outcomes when performing ECC or DCC, and skin‐to‐skin contact, or breastfeeding.

Tweetable abstract

This study demonstrates that delayed cord clamping is safe in mothers with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

This study demonstrates that delayed cord clamping is safe in mothers with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.