Impact of COVID-19 on Obstetrical Management in Israel, February-March 2020

A cohort study of 3,897 pregnant women referred to an obstetrical emergency department during the initial COVID-19 outbreak in Israel, compared to 4,067 from the same period in 2019. The data was collected by researchers from Sheba Medical Center to evaluate the effect of pandemic infection control measures on care metrics like referral rates, delivery modes, and neonatal outcomes. The study concluded that with timely preparation, high-level routine obstetrical care could be maintained.

Use Cases

• Compare referral rates and treatment durations in an obstetrical emergency department before and during a pandemic.
• Analyze changes in admission patterns to a delivery unit, such as the proportion of women admitted in active labor.
• Evaluate the stability of delivery outcomes, including spontaneous labor onset, preterm delivery, and cesarean rates, during a public health crisis.
• Assess the correlation between pandemic management protocols and patient discharge rates from a delivery unit.

Strengths

• Compares a substantial cohort of 3,897 patients in 2020 against a control group of 4,067 from 2019.
• Provides specific, statistically significant findings, such as a reduction in ED referrals in the last week of the study period (337 vs. 515).
• Focuses on a clearly defined time frame (February-March) during the initial COVID-19 outbreak.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to a single tertiary medical center in Israel.

Provenance

Source

Sheba Medical Center

Collection Method

Cohort study comparing data from February-March 2020 to the same period in 2019.

Time Range

February-March 2020 compared to February-March 2019.

Geography

Israel (likely Tel HaShomer area, based on Sheba Medical Center).