Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34256885›Full record

Observational studyPrehospital and disaster medicine2021

911 EMS Activations by Pregnant Patients in Maryland (USA) during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Megan E Hadley, Arthur J Vaught, Asa M Margolis, Timothy P Chizmar, Teferra Alemayehu, Torre Halscott, J Lee Jenkins, Matthew J Levy

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Prehospital and disaster medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Megan E HadleyJohns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MarylandUSA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1049-9584
Arthur J VaughtMaternal-Fetal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MarylandUSA.
Asa M MargolisDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MarylandUSA.
Timothy P ChizmarMaryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, Baltimore, MarylandUSA.
Teferra AlemayehuMaryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, Baltimore, MarylandUSA.
Torre HalscottMaternal-Fetal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MarylandUSA.
J Lee JenkinsDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MarylandUSA.
Matthew J LevyDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MarylandUSA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIn the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, United States Emergency Medical Services (EMS) experienced a decrease in calls, and at the same time, an increase in out-of-hospital deaths. This finding led to a concern for the implications of potential delays in care for the obstetric population. HYPOTHESIS/PROBLEM: This study examines the impact of the pandemic on prehospital care amongst pregnant women.

methodsA retrospective observational study was conducted comparing obstetric-related EMS activations in Maryland (USA) during the pandemic (March 10-July 20, 2020) to a pre-pandemic period (March 10-July 20, 2019). Comparative analysis was used to analyze the difference in frequency and acuity of calls between the two periods.

resultsThere were fewer obstetric-related EMS encounters during the pandemic compared to the year prior (daily average during the pandemic 12.5 [SD = 3.8] versus 14.6 [SD = 4.1] pre-pandemic; P <.001), although the percent of total female encounters remained unchanged (1.6% in 2020 versus 1.5% in 2019; P = .091). Key indicators of maternal status were not significantly different between the two periods. African-American women represented a disproportionately high percentage of obstetric-related activations (36.2% in 2019 and 34.8% in 2020).

conclusionsIn this state-wide analysis of EMS calls in Maryland early in the pandemic, no significant differences existed in the utilization of EMS by pregnant women. Prehospital EMS activations amongst pregnant women in Maryland only decreased slightly without an increase in acuity. Of note, over-representation by African-American women compared to population statistics raises concern for broader systemic differences in access to obstetric care.

Indexed as

COVID-19Emergency Medical ServicesFemaleHumansMarylandPandemicsPregnancyRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2United StatesEmergency Medical Servicesmaternal healthpandemicspregnancy complications

Identifiers

PMID34256885
PMCPMC8314197

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.