Conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic

The highly contagious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected every aspect of medical practice and has all but ceased clinical, translational and basic science research. Pregnant women appear to be similarly affected by the virus as non-pregnant adults. As obstetricians, not only do we have a duty to care for pregnant women and their fetuses, but to continue to conduct research, inclusive of that which would guide us in delivering care during a pandemic. Conducting such research has its challenges. The objective of this chapter is to review the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on ongoing and new pregnancy research during the pandemic, describe the challenges encountered and summarize the key strategies necessary for a successful research environment.