Inflammatory cytokines induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection during pregnancy may alter fetal brain development predisposing the offspring to neurodevelopmental disorders

Okechukwu, Chidiebere Emmanuel

doi:10.4103/njecp.njecp_45_20

Cited by 6 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…The clinical and research communities have emphasized the need for information regarding the associations between fetal exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and neurodevelopmental outcomes. [28][29][30][31][32] Prior studies of the association between fetal exposure to maternal viral infections and atypical child neurodevelopment have led to the speculation that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may be associated with global developmental delays or specific neurodevelopmental disorders. [28][29][30][31][32] To our knowledge, our analysis is the first to examine this association and, contrary to the proposed hypothesis, we did not find an association between maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection status, timing, or severity and infant neurodevelopment at age 6 months as measured using a standardized screener.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[28][29][30][31][32] Prior studies of the association between fetal exposure to maternal viral infections and atypical child neurodevelopment have led to the speculation that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may be associated with global developmental delays or specific neurodevelopmental disorders. [28][29][30][31][32] To our knowledge, our analysis is the first to examine this association and, contrary to the proposed hypothesis, we did not find an association between maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection status, timing, or severity and infant neurodevelopment at age 6 months as measured using a standardized screener. However, infants born during the pandemic, regardless of maternal SARS-CoV-2 status, scored significantly lower on the gross motor, fine motor, and personal-social subdomains of the ASQ-3 compared with a historical cohort of infants born at the same institution.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…25 The 1964 rubella pandemic led to a 10-to 15-fold increase in autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia in offspring. 26,27 There is a need to determine the associations between fetal exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and child neurodevelopmental status, [28][29][30][31][32] especially given the well-established benefits of early identification of at-risk children. [33][34][35] The COVID-19 Mother Baby Outcomes (COMBO) Initiative 36 is a prospective cohort study established at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in Spring 2020 to examine associations between in utero exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and the health and well-being of both mother and children living in New York City, the first US pandemic epicenter.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Association of Birth During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Neurodevelopmental Status at 6 Months in Infants With and Without In Utero Exposure to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection

et al. 2022

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IMPORTANCEAssociations between in utero exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and neurodevelopment are speculated, but currently unknown.OBJECTIVE To examine the associations between maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy, being born during the COVID-19 pandemic regardless of maternal SARS-CoV-2 status, and neurodevelopment at age 6 months. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSA cohort of infants exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and unexposed controls was enrolled in the COVID-19 Mother Baby Outcomes Initiative at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. All women who delivered at Columbia University Irving Medical Center with a SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy were approached. Women with unexposed infants were approached based on similar gestational age at birth, date of birth, sex, and mode of delivery. Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Ages & Stages Questionnaire, 3rd Edition (ASQ-3) at age 6 months. A historical cohort of infants born before the pandemic who had completed the 6-month ASQ-3 were included in secondary analyses.EXPOSURES Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESOutcomes were scores on the 5 ASQ-3 subdomains, with the hypothesis that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy would be associated with decrements in social and motor development at age 6 months. RESULTSOf 1706 women approached, 596 enrolled; 385 women were invited to a 6-month assessment, of whom 272 (70.6%) completed the ASQ-3. Data were available for 255 infants enrolled in the COVID-19 Mother Baby Outcomes Initiative (114 in utero exposed, 141 unexposed to SARS-CoV-2; median maternal age at delivery, 32.0 [IQR, 19.0-45.0] years). Data were also available from a historical cohort of 62 infants born before the pandemic. In utero exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection was not associated with significant differences on any ASQ-3 subdomain, regardless of infection timing or severity. However, compared with the historical cohort, infants born during the pandemic had significantly lower scores on gross motor

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association of Birth During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Neurodevelopmental Status at 6 Months in Infants With and Without In Utero Exposure to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection

et al. 2022

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“…The potential for neurodevelopmental morbidity in offspring exposed prenatally to SARS-CoV-2 is therefore of great concern. Given the large number of exposed individuals, even a modest increase in risk for adverse offspring neurodevelopment would still have a massive public health impact [15][16][17][18][19][20]. More than 59 million people in the United States and 300 million worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) i , including over 155 500 pregnant women in the United States [21].…”

Section: Potential Transgenerational Impact Of Viral Infections In Pr...mentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 in pregnancy: implications for fetal brain development

Shook

Sullivan

et al. 2022

Trends in Molecular Medicine

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The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during pregnancy on the developing fetal brain is poorly understood. Other antenatal infections such as influenza have been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring. Although vertical transmission has been rarely observed in SARS-CoV-2 to date, given the potential for profound maternal immune activation, impact on the developing fetal brain is likely. Here we review evidence that SARS-CoV-2 and other viral infections during pregnancy can result in maternal, placental and fetal immune activation, and ultimately in offspring neurodevelopmental morbidity. Finally, we highlight the need for cellular models of fetal brain development to better understand potential short- and long-term impacts of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on the next generation.

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“…Simultaneously, there have been global calls to action urging evaluation of the neurodevelopment of the generation of infants born during this crisis. Efforts have focused on assessing 2 hypothesized pathways of influence: The first purports that SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may alter neurodevelopment through vertical transmission of the virus . Despite this widely held hypothesis, there is a paucity of evidence to support vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 or associated effects of in utero viral exposure .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal Mental Health and Infant Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2022

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CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEIn the context of prior research, and considering the paucity of research on infant neurodevelopment following prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure and birth during the pandemic, robust scientific investigation is needed to detect indicators of compromised early outcomes that could inform widespread assessment and accessible intervention. We simultaneously caution against reflexive apprehension regarding the generation of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Inflammatory cytokines induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection during pregnancy may alter fetal brain development predisposing the offspring to neurodevelopmental disorders

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Association of Birth During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Neurodevelopmental Status at 6 Months in Infants With and Without In Utero Exposure to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Association of Birth During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Neurodevelopmental Status at 6 Months in Infants With and Without In Utero Exposure to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection

COVID-19 in pregnancy: implications for fetal brain development

Maternal Mental Health and Infant Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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