Multicentre Spanish study found no incidences of viral transmission in infants born to mothers with COVID‐19

Abstract

Aim: Our aim was to describe the clinical features of mothers infected with COVID-19 and examine any potential vertical mother to newborn transmission. We also assessed how effective the discharge recommendations were in preventing transmission during the first month of life. Methods: This multicentre descriptive study involved 16 Spanish hospitals. We reviewed the medical records of 42 pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 from March 13, 2020, to March 29, 2020, when they were in their third trimester of pregnancy. They and their newborn infants were monitored until the infant was 1 month old. Results: Over half (52.4%) of the women had a vaginal delivery. The initial clinical symptoms were coughing (66.6%) and fever (59.5%), and one mother died due to thrombo-embolic events. We admitted 37 newborn infants to the neonatal unit (88%), and 28 were then admitted to intermediate care for organisational virus-related reasons. No infants died, and no vertical transmission was detected during hospitalisation or follow-up. Only six were exclusively breastfed at discharge.

Pregnancy and COVID-19

“…Thirty-one relevant studies were identified reporting on outcomes of pregnant women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, and their babies, encompassing 12,260 women. ( 6 , 10 , 15 , 23 – 26 , 38 , 40 , 42 , 58 , 60 , 61 , 64 , 69 , 72 – 74 , 76 , 77 , 79 , 97 , 122 , 132 , 144 , 145 , 147 , 149 , 152 , 155 ) The majority of women were in the third trimester and had mild to moderate symptoms only. A minority of women required critical care admission.…”

“…Viral infection of placental cells does not necessarily mean fetal infection or fetal harm. So far, 15 reports include neonatal test results for SARS-CoV-2 ( 15 , 24 , 26 , 40 , 61 , 64 , 69 , 72 , 79 , 145 , 147 , 149 , 150 ) with positive cases occurring only in the minority ( 40 , 64 , 79 , 149 , 150 ). Significant neonatal respiratory diseases appear to be rare, even in the presence of SARS-CoV-2 positivity.…”

“…A number of studies have reported high rates of preterm birth, although none had a denominator population for comparison. Where cause of preterm birth was given, all were iatrogenic because of deteriorating maternal condition ( 40 , 61 , 64 , 77 , 79 ). Conversely, observational data from Ireland and Denmark have seen dramatic decreases in population level rates of preterm birth during the COVID-19 pandemic, the cause of which is unclear ( 49 , 99 ).…”

Clinical characteristics and risk factors for mortality in obstetric patients with severe COVID‐19 in Brazil: a surveillance database analysis

“…Subsequent data emerging from Europe and North America also concluded that pregnant women were at no increased risk of severe COVID‐19 or death 3,7,8 . More recently, further studies reported higher risk of ICU admission and mechanical ventilation during pregnancy, 9,10 and the first cases of near miss and maternal deaths have emerged from Iran, US, UK, France, Mexico and Spain 7–9,11–16 …”

Misalignment of global COVID-19 breastfeeding and newborn care guidelines with World Health Organization recommendations

“…The transmission of SARS-Co-V-2 due to vaginal birth appears unlikely. [6][7][8][9] While in utero vertical transmission remains unproven, 7 8 10 there may be some indication of transplacental passage of the virus. 11 Currently there is no evidence of viable, infective SARS-Co-V-2 in human milk, [12][13][14] while there are increasing reports of SARS-Co-V-2 specific immunoglobulin in infected mother's milk.…”