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. 2024 Apr 25:12:1381104.
doi: 10.3389/fped.2024.1381104. eCollection 2024.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in newborns born to SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers at 2 weeks of life

Sophia Jan  1   2   3   4 , Robert Katz  1   2   4 , David Fagan  1   2   4 , Telmo Santos  1   2   4 , Joanna C Beachy  5 , Caren Steinway  1   2   4 , Jack Chen  1   2 , Alina Tsouristakis  1   2 , Briana Mancenido  1   2 , Christy Leung  1   4 , Emily Moore  1   2 , Estelle Wilson  1   2 , Lorna Lin  1   2 , Michael Harte  1   2 , Michelle Katzow  1   2   3   4 , Lorry G Rubin  1   2   4   6
Affiliations

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in newborns born to SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers at 2 weeks of life

Sophia Jan et al. Front Pediatr. .

Abstract

Introduction: Limited evidence exists on management recommendations for neonates born to SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers. This study looked at transmission risk of neonates presenting for primary care in a large regional health system within New York during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational study of newborns born to SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers presenting at any of the 19 Northwell Health-Cohen Children's Medical Center primary care practices who underwent another oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal swab for detection of SARS-CoV-2 by day of life (DOL) 14.

Results: Among 293 newborns born to SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers who were negative at birth, 222 were retested at DOL 14, corresponding to times with different predominant strains. Of these, seven tested positive but had no symptoms.

Conclusion: The overall low transmission rates and absence of symptomatic infection support the safety of direct breastfeeding after hospital discharge with appropriate hand and breast hygiene.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; newborns; pediatric medicine; transmission risk.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of newborns born to women with a positive NAA test for SARS-Cov-2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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