Birthing parents had a lower risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the peripartum period in Norway, 15th of February 2020 to 15th of May 2021

Anders Skyrud Danielsen; Pascale-Renée Cyr; Maria Christine Magnus; Kirsten Midttun Gravningen; Hanne-Merete Eriksen-Volle; Oliver Kacelnik

doi:10.1016/j.infpip.2021.100183

Birthing parents had a lower risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the peripartum period in Norway, 15^th of February 2020 to 15^th of May 2021

Infect Prev Pract. 2021 Dec;3(4):100183. doi: 10.1016/j.infpip.2021.100183. Epub 2021 Nov 10.

Authors

Anders Skyrud Danielsen¹, Pascale-Renée Cyr², Maria Christine Magnus³, Kirsten Midttun Gravningen¹, Hanne-Merete Eriksen-Volle¹, Oliver Kacelnik¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Infection Control and Preparedness, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway.
² Cluster for Health Services Research, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway.
³ Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway.

Abstract

Hospital infection control measures against COVID-19 may come into conflict with patients' need for support. In Norway, some hospitals have restricted access for partners of women giving birth. We investigated the incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 among birthing parents compared to similarly aged women and men in the general population; and the additional risk posed by allowing partners in. Birthing parents often shared infection status and had a slightly lower incidence rate than the general population in the peripartum period. They should not be considered a high-risk group for SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Keywords: Birth; Covid-19; Infection control; Pandemic; Peripartum care; Preparedness.