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. 2021 Sep;304(3):679-686.
doi: 10.1007/s00404-021-06097-5. Epub 2021 May 31.

Indirect effects of COVID-19 in referring women to gynecologic oncology, perinatology and gynecology clinics in Iran

Zahra Khazaeipour  1 , Erfan Razavi  2 , Mohammad-Taha Pahlevan-Fallahy  2
Affiliations

Indirect effects of COVID-19 in referring women to gynecologic oncology, perinatology and gynecology clinics in Iran

Zahra Khazaeipour et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: COVID-19 has captured the world. We hypothesized that this pandemic reduced referral of other non-COVID-19 patients to the hospitals or clinics, including gynecological and perinatological referrals. Women can be at risk in limited use of health services.

Methods: In this retrospective study, referrals from gynecologic oncology, perinatology, and gynecology clinics in a large teaching hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) were compared from February 20 to May 20, 2020, with the same period in 2019. Finally, referral trends in 2020 were compared with the COVID-19 admission pattern.

Results: Total admissions to all three clinics declined 63% in 2020 compared to 2019. There was a significant relationship between the number of visits to three clinics during these2 years (p < 0.001). The reduction in referrals to the gynecology clinic was more than gynecologic oncology and perinatology. The COVID-19 referral pattern was conversely linked to gynecology-related admissions.

Conclusion: As the pandemic situation makes patients hesitant to go to the hospitals or not, health policymakers should consider other non-COVID issues, including maternal and fetal concerns. Providing safe places for other patients to visit is a goal that can be achieved through developing guidelines for nosocomial hygiene and training informed healthcare staff. Moreover, non-urgent visits should be avoided or postponed. This issue calls for new strategies, including telemedicine in situations similar to the current pandemic to both identify and manage such conditions.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Gynecology; Health policy; Perinatology; Women’s health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare having no conflict of interest related to this work.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Admissions to gynecology-related clinics. The number of admissions to gynecologic oncology, perinatology, and gynecology clinics in the year 2020 compared with 2019
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Referrals to gynecology-related clinics. The trends of referrals to the gynecologic oncology (A), perinatology (B), and gynecology (C) clinics in the year 2019 and 2020
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Total referrals. Trends of overall referrals to the gynecologic oncology, perinatology, and gynecology clinics in the year 2019 and 2020
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
COVID-19 and overall Gynecology referrals in 2020: The comparison between trends in COVID-19 admissions and overall referrals related to gynecology
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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