Greenville, SC, July 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG), the nation’s largest and only dedicated provider of customized OB hospitalist programs, has released a study of the first 200 COVID-19-positive pregnant patients who received care from OBHG clinicians in the hospital setting. The report, “COVID-19 in pregnant women across the United States,” supports previously documented evidence of high percentage of asymptomatic COVID-19-positive pregnant patients as well as regional disparities in prevalence.
OBHG researchers conducted the analysis to determine whether patients were presenting with obstetrical or COVID-19 complaints, the volume of asymptomatic positives in the labor and delivery patient population and the geographic distribution of COVID-19 patient encounters.
Data from the 10-week study analysis encompassed reporting from 168 hospital programs across 32 states. The analysis revealed that of the obstetrics patients who tested positive for SARS CoV-2 at some time at or after presentation to the hospital, 58 percent were asymptomatic for COVID-19 related symptoms. Of the group asymptomatic for COVID-19 symptoms, 90.4 percent presented with obstetrical complaints.
The analysis also suggests the ongoing need to implement universal testing strategies and appropriately allocate PPE and management protocols on labor and delivery units until further information regarding site specific prevalence of asymptomatic positive patients can be elucidated.
“We found that most of the COVID-19-asymptomatic patients presented for obstetrical reasons and would not have been otherwise suspected for infection initially,” said Amy Van Blaricom, OBHG Vice President of Clinical Operations and lead study researcher. “There really is a strong need for universal testing of all patients on labor and delivery units to preserve PPE and protect healthcare workers on the frontline of this important care moving forward.”
“Until universal testing is the standard, this study indicates the importance of a testing strategy tailored to community dynamics,” said OBHG Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mark Simon. “If you have a high level of COVID-19 spread in your community, then you definitely want to implement universal testing on your labor and delivery unit so that you can find asymptomatic patients. However, if you are in a community with low disease prevalence, universal testing may not be as valuable.”
To download the full report, “COVID-19 in pregnant women across the United States” click here.
About Ob Hospitalist Group
As the nation’s largest and only dedicated OB hospitalist provider, Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG) has led the industry in developing and managing obstetric hospitalist programs since 2006. We deliver 24/7 real-time triage, provide coverage for unassigned patients, handle obstetrical emergencies and offer collaborative non-competitive support for private-practice physicians. Our mission is to improve care and access for pregnant women and improve work-life balance for OB/GYNs. OBGH hospital partners see better outcomes, reduced malpractice liability and better overall customer experience. OBHG’s 1,000+ dedicated clinicians care for patients in more than 175 partner hospitals across 33 states. For more information, visit www.obhg.com or call 800.967.2289.
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