Placental dysfunction is involved in a group of obstetrical conditions including preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and placental abruption. Their timely and accurate recognition is often a challenge since diagnostic criteria are still based on nonspecific signs and symptoms. The discovering of the role of angiogenic-related factors (sFlt-1/PlGF) in the underlying pathophysiology of placental dysfunction, taking into account that angiogenesis-related biomarkers are not specific to any particular placental insufficiency-related disease, has marked an important step for improving their early diagnosis and prognosis assessment. However, sFlt-1/PlGF has not been yet established as a part of most guidelines. We will review the current evidence on the clinical utility of sFlt-1/PlGF and propose a new protocol for its clinical integration.

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Background: Information regarding the incidence and characteristics of COVID-19 pneumonia amongst pregnant women is scarce. Methods: Single-centre experience with 32 pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 between March 5 to April 5, 2020 at Madrid, Spain. Findings: COVID-19 pneumonia was diagnosed in 61¢5% (32/52) women. Only 18¢7% (6/32) had some underlying condition (mostly asthma). Supplemental oxygen therapy was required in 18 patients (56¢3%), with high-flow requirements in six (18¢7%). Eight patients (25¢0%) fulfilled the criteria for acute distress respiratory syndrome. Invasive mechanical ventilation was required in two patients (6¢2%). Tocilizumab was administered in five patients (15¢6%). Delivery was precipitated due to COVID-19 in three women (9¢4%). All the newborns had a favourable outcome, with no cases of neonatal SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Severe cases of pneumonia requiring supplemental oxygen were more likely to exhibit bilateral alveolar or interstitial infiltrates on chest X-ray (55¢6% vs. 0¢0%; P-value = 0¢003) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels >10 mg/dL (33¢0% vs. 0¢0%; P-value = 0¢05) at admission than those with no oxygen requirements. Interpretation: Pregnant women with COVID-19 have a high risk of developing pneumonia, with a severe course in more than half of cases. The presence of bilateral kung infiltrates and elevated serum CRP at admission may identify women at-risk of severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

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Prophylactic HIG administration in pregnant women after CMV primary infection seems not to reduce significantly the rate of congenital infection, but is safe and it could have a favorable effect on the symptoms and sequelae of infected fetuses. The risk of long-term sequelae in fetuses without US abnormalities before HIG is low, so it could be an option in infected fetuses with normal imaging. On the other hand, the risk of sequelae among infected fetuses with abnormalities in fetal ultrasonography before HIG despite treatment is high.