Evidence of possible SARS‐CoV‐2 vertical transmission according to World Health Organization criteria in asymptomatic pregnant women

Abstract

The findings of this study provide evidence of possible vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory sydrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in asymptomatic pregnant women, using the novel World Health Organizaton criteria for the establishment of mother-to-child transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in amniotic fluid and its persistence in the neonate 24 h after birth was demonstrated. What are the clinical implications of this work?This work highlights the importance of testing more than one sample for SARS-CoV-2 in neonates of asymptomatic infected women in order to increase the detection rate in positive cases. Identification of neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection might help clinicians to understand better the long-term effects or complications of the disease.

Cord Blood SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibodies and Their Association With Maternal Immunity and Neonatal Outcomes

“…This study showed that 53.5% of neonates tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the first 12-48 h after delivery, 11% were seropositive and 42% were seronegative. In previous works, we have demonstrated viral presence in fetal tissue (32), in placentas from positive mothers (33,34), and in amniotic fluid and newborns (saliva and rectal swabs) at delivery, even in the presence of maternal IgG (33,34) Our results demonstrate two possible transmission mechanisms. In some cases, we have evidence of (1) maternal infection before birth, (2) in utero exposure (neonatal RT-PCR <24 h), but we do not have evidence of persistence of infection.…”

“…This study showed that 53.5% of neonates tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the first 12–48 h after delivery, 11% were seropositive and 42% were seronegative. In previous works, we have demonstrated viral presence in fetal tissue ( 32 ), in placentas from positive mothers ( 33 , 34 ), and in amniotic fluid and newborns (saliva and rectal swabs) at delivery, even in the presence of maternal IgG ( 33 , 34 ). The results shown in the present work do not allow us to conclude about viral transmission, as only one single swab sample was obtained of most neonates.…”

Can SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women affect the hearing of their newborns: A systematic review

“…A prospective, multicenter investigation found that infection occurred in 5.1 % of newborns born to mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy, implying that SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted intrauterine [36] . Strong evidence from another study revealed that 12 % of SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnant women transmit the virus intrauterine, and that intrauterine transmission may even occur in asymptomatic individuals [37] . Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 has the potential to affect the auditory system of newborns [6] .…”

“…SARS-CoV-2 testing in newborns should be emphasized. According to a study, single oral or rectal swabs failed to detect SARS-CoV-2 in 40–60 % of infected infants, whereas dual oral and rectal swabs considerably enhanced the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 [37] .…”

Inflammatory-Metal Profile as a Hallmark for COVID-19 Severity During Pregnancy

“…Indeed, during this period, the most common cause of maternal death was COVID-19 ( Secretaría de Salud, 2021 ). Although placental COVID-19 infection has been documented in some cases ( Hosier et al, 2020 ; Schwartz and Morotti, 2020 ; Vivanti et al, 2020 ), whether transmission occurs from the mother to the fetus and how the mother-baby dyad is affected during SARS-CoV-2 infection remain controversial issues ( Mirbeyk et al, 2021 ; Salem et al, 2021 ; Sevilla-Montoya et al, 2021 ; Garcia-Flores et al, 2022 ).…”