Introduction Human milk cannot currently be considered a major source of COVID-19 infection. On the other hand, it can contain specific antibodies that could modulate a possible newborn infection by SARS-CoV-2. Main issue A 32-year-old pregnant woman, gestational age 37 and 3/7 weeks, was admitted with a flu-like syndrome caused by COVID-19. The female newborn was appropriate for gestational age, with a birth weight of 2,890 g, length 48 cm, and head circumference 34 cm. Management The mother–infant dyad remained in the rooming-in unit during hospitalization, exclusively breastfeeding and following World Health Organization recommendations for contact and airway precautions. On the 3rd day after delivery, two mother’s milk samples (3 and 5 mL) were collected by hand expression. The samples were centrifuged for 10 min twice consecutively to separate fat, which was removed, and the remaining material was transferred to another tube to determine anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immunoglobulin A and Immunoglobulin G (ELISA, Kit EUROIMMUN AG, Luebeck, Germany). Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immunoglobulin A was detected in the two samples evaluated, whose values were 2.5 and 1.9, respectively. No anti-SARSCoV-2 immunoglobulin G was detected. The exclusively-breastfed infant remained well through 45 days of age. Conclusion The presence of SARS-CoV-2 Immunoglobulin A in the milk of mothers infected with COVID-19 may be related to protection against the transmission and severity of the disease in their infants.

Background: Premature birth is the main cause of mortality in children under 1 year, and vitamin D deficiency during gestation is associated with prematurity. The effects of vitamin D are mediated by its receptor, which is encoded by the VDR gene. VDR variants-such as single nucleotide variation (SNV)-are associated with increased risk of prematurity, but there are conflicting results. We evaluated serum vitamin D concentrations and the frequency of TaqI/A > G, BsmI/C > T, ApaI/C > A, and FokI/A > T VDR variants in mothers and preterm (PTN) and fullterm (FTN) newborns. Methods: We conducted a case-control study comprising 40 pairs of mothers and their PTNs (gestational age < 32 weeks and/or weight < 1500 g), and 92 pairs of mothers and FTNs as controls. Genotyping was performed by realtime PCR, and plasma vitamin D concentrations were measured by electrochemiluminescence. Results: Vitamin D levels were significantly lower in PTN mothers. Genotypes TaqI/GG and BsmI/TT, and haplotypes AAG (TaqI/A-ApaI/A-FokI/G) and GCA (TaqI/G-ApaI/C-FokI/A) were significantly more frequent in PTN mothers, and genotypes TaqI/AG, ApaI/AA, and FokI/AG resulted in significantly lower vitamin D levels. Genotypes BsmI/TT and ApaI/AA were associated with vitamin D deficiency and 2.36 and 7.99 times greater likelihood of PTB, respectively. Vitamin D levels were also lower in PTNs, although it was not statistically significant. Genotypes BsmI/TT, ApaI/AA, and FokI/GG, and haplotype GAG (TaqI/G-ApaI/A-FokI/G) were significantly more frequent in PTNs. Those with FokI/ GG genotypes had significantly lower vitamin D levels. Conclusions: VDR variants contribute to variations in vitamin D concentrations and the increased risk of prematurity.

Objective: To identify the effects of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy on newborns and infants. Data sources: The present study is an integrative review of literature based on clinical trials published in journals indexed in the PubMed and Web of Science databases. Two searches were carried out, starting with the association (and) of the health term “vitamin D” with “pregnancy”. In the search for information, selection criteria were established, and there was no language limitation and year of publication. Data synthesis: The final selection resulted in 44 clinical trials, most of which were randomized and double blind, which were carried out in outpatient clinics, referral hospitals and universities, mainly in Europe. The samples studied were predominantly of newborns. In these 44 trials, 23 types of different doses of vitamin D during pregnancy, with different doses, regimens and times of use, and 14 different outcomes were studied in newborns (NB) and infants. Of the 44 studies performed, 35 showed statistically significant beneficial effects of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy on newborns and infants compared to control groups. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy for at least three months before delivery has the potential of positively influencing calcium metabolism, physical growth and immune system development in newborns and infants. However, there is insufficient knowledge to define the optimal dose and to guarantee the absence of possible long-term adverse effects.

Objectives To describe the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA and IgG in the blood and colostrum of women with COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and associate the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA in colostrum with clinical symptoms of their newborns. Methods A cross-sectional study was developed with 165 participants with COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and their newborns. Data collected: characteristics COVID-19 infection in pregnant women, gestational age, and clinical symptoms in their newborns (fever, hypothermia, respiratory distress, hypotonia, hypoactivity, hypoglycemia, cyanosis, vomiting/regurgitation, abdominal distention, and jaundice). Maternal blood and colostrum samples were collected postpartum to to detect the presence of IgA and IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2. Results The median interval between COVID-19 diagnosis and delivery was 37.5 days ( IQ = 12.0, 73.0 days). Clinical symptoms during hospitalization were observed in 55 newborns (33.3%), and two (1.6%) tested RT-PCR positive for COVID-19. Positive colostrum for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA was found in 117 (70.9%) women. The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA in colostrum was associated independently with lower clinical symptoms in their newborns ( OR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.202 to 0.84; p = 0.015). Conclusions for Practice The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA in colostrum was detected in more than two-thirds of the women evaluated and was associated with a lower frequency of clinical symptoms in their newborns. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10995-022-03553-9.

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