Background: We aimed to explore screening test utilization and
performance during pregnancy amidst pandemic, examining both nulliparous and
multiparous women, and to compare screening test performance before and during
the pandemic in multiparous women. Methods: A cross-sectional study of
500 pregnant women at Galilee Medical Center, Israel, explored the effects of
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on screening test performance during the
first wave of the pandemic. Sociodemographic and data regarding screening test
performance (including nuchal translucency (NT)), first-trimester biochemical
test, early fetal scan, alpha-fetoprotein testing, second fetal scan, glucose
tolerance test, diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination,
and third-trimester ultrasonographic fetal growth assessment) were collected via
face-to-face interviews using a medical questionnaire. Logistic regression was
performed to identify factors that influenced screening test performance.
Results: 234 (46%) women did not perform at least one screening test
during their pregnancy. Of these, 42% attributed their decision to the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these, 18.8% were anxious about potential exposure,
16.2% cited medical staff isolations and cancelations, 5.6% reported being
infected with COVID-19 or in self-isolation, and 4.3% faced challenges related
to local quarantine. Of our cohort, 9.2% reported refusing emergency department
(ED) referral due to anxiety regarding possible exposure. Only 44.3% of
multiparous women performed all the screening tests during the pandemic, compared
with 70.8% before the pandemic (p
