A study in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that the CT score for pulmonary involvement in the early stages of COVID-19 pneumonia was less than 1% among 15 pregnant women with the disease, which gradually rose from an estimated 25% during the progressive stage to up to nearly 49% during the final absorption stage. Researchers also found that patients showed no COVID-19 symptoms after being treated with antibiotics during pregnancy and with antivirals after giving birth, as well as no evidence of the infection and no cases of neonatal asphyxia or death among the children.

Researchers found that similar to mothers who had severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome during pregnancy, 38 pregnant women with COVID-19 in China did not transmit SARS-CoV-2 to their infants in utero. The findings in the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine also showed that unlike MERS and SARS, COVID-19 did not result in maternal mortality.

A study in Obesity found no significant link between childhood overweight or obesity risks and overall antibiotic exposure before birth, but showed that children whose mothers used antibiotics during the second trimester of pregnancy have increased odds of being obese or overweight, compared with those whose mothers were not exposed to antibiotics during pregnancy. The findings, based on 23 studies, also showed a higher risk of overweight or obesity among children who were exposed to antibiotics when they were infants, compared with those who had no exposure during infancy.

An executive order prohibiting hoarding of critical medical supplies and price gouging amid the novel coronavirus pandemic has been signed by President Donald Trump. The order applies to items deemed by HHS Secretary Alex Azar as critical, and those in violation could face criminal action, Attorney General William Barr said.

A total of $100 million has been awarded by HHS through the Health Resources and Services Administration to 1,381 health centers across the country to improve their role in responding to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The funds will be used for treating and testing patients, increasing telehealth capacity and boosting medical supplies.

Irin Carmon, who is due to deliver in June, writes about navigating pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. She considered the option of a home birth before deciding to stick with the plan of a hospital birth for now, and she isn't alone: Trinisha Williams, a certified midwife and director of midwifery at the Brooklyn Birthing Center, says there has been an increase in inquiries about home births.

The HHS Office of Inspector General issued an alert urging Medicare recipients to be wary of fraudulent schemes preying on fears of COVID-19. The agency said some scams, which may be carried out through social media, telemarketing or door-to-door, have involved offers of coronavirus tests in exchange for personal information.

Health care staffing shortages due to the novel coronavirus pandemic could prompt retired nurses and other health care professionals to want to volunteer to re-enter the workforce. Those interested will have to comply with state requirements, which may be easier for those who have practiced within the past five years, and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing is tracking information on how states and boards of nursing are responding.

A study in JAMA Network Open assessed mental health conditions for about 1,200 health care workers in China and found that 71% had signs of distress and half had symptoms of depression. Those symptoms as well as anxiety and insomnia were more common among nurses as well as health care professionals caring directly for patients with COVID-19.