Home Questionnaire for Pregnant COVID-19 Positive Patients

This questionnaire has been developed in the Perinatal Centre at the IWK to support the antenatal care providers of pregnant patients who test positive for COVID-19 (and who are isolating at home). As numbers increase it has become less feasible for health professionals to call patients daily to check in. Some language in the document is specific to the IWK facility, but feel free to adjust it to suit your facility’s needs if you think this would be helpful. Also, feel free to share with your colleagues who provide antenatal care in their own offices.

Points for using this document include:

1. Care providers, once made aware that the patient is COVID positive, should reach out once to the patient using the attached document for guidance. In addition the patient should be advised that should they have any pregnancy-related concerns they can contact their care provider, or contact the labour/birth unit and speak to the charge nurse.  If they have questions related to COVID testing, isolation etc, they should contact Public Health, or in some cases, depending on where they work, their occupational health office. If they have concerning COVID-related symptoms (worsening cough or shortness of breath for example) they should proceed to the ED. Emergent pregnancy-related concerns should be addressed in the labour assessment area if at all possible in your facility.
2. Pregnant patients who have had a positive rapid swab should be advised to get a PCR. Pregnancy remains a reason for a PCR. Patients should indicate that they are pregnant when they book the swab. With luck that will alert the care provider that an O₂ sat monitor is needed.
3. Some people have asked about CCVCT. It is the Community COVID Virtual Care Team. They are  still trying to ensure that patients have O₂ sat monitors but can only do so if the patient has a confirmed PCR and has indicated that they are pregnant. If the patient has not received an O₂ sat monitor you (or the patient) can email CCVCT@nshealth.ca.
4. Please ensure you have documented the patient’s COVID positive status on their prenatal record.
5. Generally COVID positive individuals are cleared 10 days from symptom onset or, if asymptomatic, 10 days from their positive swab. Public health guidance will help to advise regarding this.
6. Dr Heather Scott is making every effort to collect information regarding these patients and enroll them in the CanCOVID study. In order to do so, she needs to be aware that there has been a positive test. The patient needs to agree to have a study person from the IWK call them and explain the study (not a formal consent, just an agreement to be called – the IWK will obtain study consent). Please email Dr Scott (heather.scott@iwk.nshealth.ca) when you have a patient with a positive test, to let her know whether the patient has agreed to a phone call to explain the study. 

There are lots of questions about vaccines and boosters and we are really trying to encourage them in pregnancy and in those who are breastfeeding. For information related to the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy, click here