Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy: possible impact on the infant
Morhart P, Mardin C, Rauh M, Juengert J, Hammersen J, Kehl S, Schuh W, Maier-Wohlfart S, Hermes K, Neubert A, Schneider M, Hein A, Wölfle J, Schneider H (2021)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2021
Journal
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04221-w
Abstract
The risk and potential consequences of mother-to-child transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy are still a matter of debate. We studied the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on 56 complete households, including 27 newborns whose mothers were pregnant when exposed to the virus. Two PCR-confirmed perinatal SARS-CoV-2 transmissions with mild symptoms in affected neonates were recorded. In addition, we observed a severe eye malformation (unilateral microphthalmia, optic nerve hypoplasia, and congenital retinopathy) associated with maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in weeks 5 and 6 of embryonic development. This embryopathy could not be explained by other infectious agents, genetic factors, drug use, or maternal disease during pregnancy. Eight other women with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to gestational week 12, however, delivered healthy infants. Conclusion: The repeated occurrence of mother-to-child transmission in our cohort with risks that remain incompletely understood, such as long-term effects and the possibility of an embryopathy, should sensitize researchers and stimulate further studies as well as support COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for pregnant women. Trial registration number: NCT04741412. Date of registration: November 18, 2020What is Known:•Materno-fetal transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy has rarely been reported so far, but was demonstrated in isolated cases.What is New:•In a study of complete households with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection, including a cohort of pregnant women, we observed perinatal coronavirus transmission at a higher frequency than expected.•We also describe a newborn boy with an eye malformation reminiscent of rubella embryopathy but associated with early gestation SARS-CoV-2 infection of his mother.•A coronavirus-related embryopathy, reported here for the first time, is a finding that requires further investigation.
Authors with CRIS profile
Christian Mardin
Medizinische Fakultät
Manfred Rauh
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Sven Kehl
Medizinische Fakultät
Wolfgang Schuh
Department of Molecular Immunology
Sigrun Maier-Wohlfart
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Antje Neubert
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Michael Schneider
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Alexander Hein
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Joachim Wölfle
Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin
Holm Schneider
Professur für Kinderheilkunde/Experimentelle Perinatalmedizin
Involved external institutions
Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Morhart, P., Mardin, C., Rauh, M., Juengert, J., Hammersen, J., Kehl, S.,... Schneider, H. (2021). Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy: possible impact on the infant. European Journal of Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-021-04221-w
MLA:
Morhart, Patrick, et al. "Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy: possible impact on the infant." European Journal of Pediatrics (2021).
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