Background Knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and newborns is scarce. The objective of this study is to analyse clinical and epidemiological characteristics of a cohort of women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and their newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during gestation. Methods Multicentric observational study of Spanish hospitals from the GESNEO-COVD cohort, participants in RECLIP (Spanish Network of Paediatric Clinical Assays). Women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection by PCR and/or serology during pregnancy, diagnosed and delivering during the period 15/03/2020–31/07/2020 were included. Epidemiological, clinical, and analytical data was collected. Results A total of 105 pregnant women with a median of 34.1 years old (IQR: 28.8–37.1) and 107 newborns were included. Globally, almost 65% of pregnant women had some COVID-19 symptoms and more than 43% were treated for SARS-COV-2. Overall, 30.8% of pregnant women had pneumonia and 5 (4.8%) women were admitted to the intensive care unit needing invasive mechanical ventilation. There was a rate of 36.2% of caesarean sections, which was associated with pneumonia during pregnancy (OR: 4.203, CI 95%: 1.473–11.995) and lower gestational age at delivery (OR: 0.724, CI 95%: 0.578–0.906). The prevalence of preterm birth was 20.6% and prematurity was associated with pneumonia during gestation (OR: 6.970, CI95%: 2.340–22.750) and having a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR at delivery (OR: 6.520, CI95%: 1.840–31.790). All nasopharyngeal PCR in newborns were negative at birth and one positivized at 15 days of life. Two newborns died, one due to causes related to prematurity and another of unexpected sudden death during early skin-to-skin contact after delivery. Conclusions Although vertical transmission has not been reported in this cohort, the prognosis of newborns could be worsened by SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy as COVID-19 pneumonia increased the risk of caesarean section deliveries and preterm births.

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Background: The vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains highly debated. Here, we evaluated SARS-CoV-2-transmission in newborns with intrauterine conditions. Methods: This was a prospective, observational and multicentric study involving 13 Spanish hospitals included in the GEStational and NEOnatal-COVID cohort. Pregnant women with microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during any trimester of pregnancy or delivery and their newborns were included from March to November 2020. Demographic, clinical and microbiological data were also obtained. Viral loads were analyzed in different maternal and newborn biological samples (placenta, breast milk and maternal blood; urine, meconium and newborn blood). Results: A total of 177 newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 were included. Newborns were tested by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction using nasopharyngeal swabs within the first 24–48 hours of life and at 14 days of life. In total 5.1% were considered to have SARS-CoV-2 infection in the neonatal period, with 1.7% considered intrauterine and 3.4% intrapartum or early postnatal transmission cases. There were no differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the pregnant women and their newborns’ susceptibility to infections in their perinatal history or background. Conclusions: Intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is possible, although rare, with early postnatal transmission occurring more frequently. Most infected newborns remained asymptomatic or had mild symptoms that evolved well during follow-up. We did not find any maternal characteristics predisposing infants to neonatal infection. All infected newborn mothers had acute infection at delivery. Although there was no presence of SARS-CoV2 in cord blood or breast milk samples, SARS-CoV-2 viral load was detected in urine and meconium samples from infected newborns.

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SARS-CoV2 infection in pregnancy and exposed newborns is poorly known. We performed a longitudinal analysis of immune system and determined soluble cytokine levels in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV2 and in their newborns. Women with confirmed SARS-CoV2 infection and their exposed uninfected newborns were recruited from Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), cord cells and plasma were collected at birth and 6 months later. Immunophenotyping of natural killer (NK), monocytes and CD4/CD8 T-cells were studied in cryopreserved PBMCs and cord cells by multiparametric flow cytometry. Up to 4 soluble pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines were assessed in plasma/cord plasma by ELISA assay. SARS-CoV2-infected mothers and their newborns were compared to matched healthy non-SARS-CoV2-infected mothers and their newborns. The TNFα and IL-10 levels of infected mothers were higher at baseline than those of healthy controls. Infected mothers showed increased NK cells activation and reduced expression of maturation markers that reverted after 6 months. They also had high levels of Central Memory and low Effector Memory CD4-T cell subsets. Additionally, the increased CD4- and CD8-T cell activation (CD154 and CD38) and exhaustion (TIM3/TIGIT) levels at baseline compared to controls remained elevated after 6 months. Regarding Treg cells, the levels were lower at infected mothers at baseline but reverted after 6 months. No newborn was infected at birth. The lower levels of monocytes, NK and CD4-T cells observed at SARS-CoV2-exposed newborns compared to unexposed controls significantly increased 6 months later. In conclusion, SARS-CoV2 infection during pregnancy shows differences in immunological components that could lead newborns to future clinical implications after birth. However, SARS-CoV2 exposed 6-months-old newborns showed no immune misbalance, whereas the infected mothers maintain increased activation and exhaustion levels in T-cells after 6 months.

Background and Objectives The optimal lung volume strategy during high‐frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is reached by performing recruitment maneuvers, usually guided by the response in oxygenation. In animal models, secondary spontaneous change in oscillation pressure amplitude (ΔPhf) associated with a progressive increase in mean airway pressure during HFOV combined with volume guarantee (HFOV‐VG) identifies optimal lung recruitment. The aim of this study was to describe recruitment maneuvers in HFOV‐VG and analyze whether changes in ΔPhf might be an early predictor for lung recruitment in newborn infants with severe respiratory failure. Design and Methods The prospective observational study was done in a tertiary‐level neonatology department. Changes in ΔPhf were analyzed during standardized lung recruitment after initiating early rescue HFOV‐VG in preterm infants with severe respiratory failure. Results Twenty‐seven patients were included, with a median gestational age of 24 weeks (interquartile range [IQR]: 23–25). Recruitment maneuvers were performed, median baseline mean airway pressure (mPaw) was 11 cm H2O (IQR: 10–13), median critical lung opening mPaw during recruitment was 14 cm H2O (IRQ: 12–16), and median optimal mPaw was 12 cm H2O (IQR: 10–14, p < 0.01). Recruitment maneuvers were associated with an improvement in oxygenation (FiO2: 65.0 vs. 45.0, p < 0.01, SpO2/FiO2 ratio: 117 vs. 217, p < 0.01). ΔPhf decreased significantly after lung recruitment (mean amplitude: 23.0 vs. 16.0, p < 0.01). Conclusion In preterm infants with severe respiratory failure, the lung recruitment process can be effectively guided by ΔPhf on HFOV‐VG.

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Introduction Pregnant women are vulnerable to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. Neutralizing antibodies against the SARS‐CoV‐2 spike (S) protein protect from severe disease. This study analyzes the antibody titers to SARS‐CoV‐2 S protein in pregnant women and their newborns at delivery, and six months later. Methods We conducted a prospective study on pregnant women with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and newborns. Antibody (IgG, IgM, and IgA) titers were determined using immunoassays in serum and milk samples. An angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor‐binding inhibition assay to the S protein was performed on the same serum and milk samples. Results At birth, antibodies to SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein were detected in 81.9% of mothers' sera, 78.9% of cord blood samples, and 63.2% of milk samples. Symptomatic women had higher antibody titers (IgG, IgM, and IgA) than the asymptomatic ones ( P < 0.05). At six months postpartum, IgG levels decreased drastically in children's serum ( P < 0.001) but remained high in mothers' serum. Antibody titers correlated positively with its capacity to inhibit the ACE2–spike protein interaction at baseline in maternal sera ( R 2 = 0.203; P < 0.001), cord sera ( R 2 = 0.378; P < 0.001), and milk ( R 2 = 0.564; P < 0.001), and at six months in maternal sera ( R 2 = 0.600; P < 0.001). Conclusions High antibody levels against SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein were found in most pregnant women. Due to the efficient transfer of IgG to cord blood and high IgA titers in breast milk, neonates may be passively immunized to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Our findings could guide newborn management and maternal vaccination policies.