Stine Yde Nielsen

1 Introduction Early-onset neonatal infection may be defined as an invasive bacterial infection, such as sepsis or meningitis, occurring within the first week of life [1]. The bacteria are typically transmitted from the mother before or during birth, with Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and Escherichia coli being the most frequently isolated pathogens [2, 3]. However, the majority of children are diagnosed by use of clinical signs and biomarkers, without the identification of a specific pathogen [4].

Methods Between 23 April and 15 November 2020, all women admitted in labour at two Danish hospitals (Aarhus University Hospital and Lillebaelt Hospital) were invited to participate in a study on SARS-CoV-2 during delivery, 1042 participated.17 A blood sample was drawn from the women shortly before or shortly after delivery, and at the time of cord clamping, a blood sample was also drawn from the umbilical vein.