Effect of COVID-19 pandemic process on prenatal diagnostic procedures
Miraç Özalp, Ömer Demir, H. Akbas, Ecem Kaya, Cemre Celik, Mehmet A. Osmanağaoğlu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accessibility of pregnant women to prenatal screening and diagnostic tests during the COVID-19 pandemic process and analyze the effect of the pandemic process on acceptance-rejection rates of fetal diagnostic procedures for high risk pregnancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As part of this cross-sectional study, during the pandemic, between the dates of 11 March 2020-30 June 2020 at Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine Perinatology Clinic, fetal structural anomaly detected by ultrasonography or with increased risk in screening test in the first and second trimester of high risk pregnancies, who were therefore recommended a prenatal diagnosis test, were defined as the control group and retrospectively compared with high risk pregnancies of the same periods (11 March 2019-30 June 2019) in the previous year. RESULTS: < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in number of prenatal diagnosis and screening tests during the COVID-19 pandemic draws attention. Prenatal care services are a serious issue that cannot be overcome by any deficiencies in both maternal and fetal care.