Clinical features of neonates born to mothers with coronavirus disease-2019: a systematic review of 403 neonates

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged and spread fast affecting countries across the world consequently becoming a public health crisis. The impact of the virus on the health of adults and children has been increasingly understood but its effects on neonates born to infected mothers remain still unclear. This study aimed to throw light on the impact of novel SARS CoV-2 on pregnant patients and to examine maternal and neonatal outcomes along with the analysis of the extent of maternal-foetal transmission. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed and Google scholar till April 3 2022 using keywords COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 and pregnancy, neonate, newborn and infant. 8 articles were reviewed, and clinical characteristics of 400 COVID-19-infected pregnant women and 403 neonates born to them were considered. Almost half of the women (56.5%) were asymptomatic. ICU admission was required by 3.75% of mothers and 1.75% mortality was reported. Out of 257 tested neonates, the positivity rate was 4.7%. Most of the neonates were asymptomatic (87.14%) and the neonatal mortality rate was 2.97%. To conclude, current evidence suggests most neonates born to covid infected mothers are not much affected by morbidity or mortality. As samples of breast milk or amniotic fluid were not tested so chances of vertical transmission cannot be ascertained. Nevertheless, considering the positivity rate in neonates as 4.7% we suggest further study in this regard. So, such infants should receive tests for SARS-CoV-2 and appropriate treatment should be initiated when needed.