Possibility of intrauterine transmission from mother to fetus/newborn: Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic methods to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection

Abstract

Several studies have reported vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2; however, information regarding intrauterine transmission based on diagnostic methods to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection is scarce. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to identify and explore the studies that attempt to ascertain the possibility of intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. The results demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted intrauterine, as detected by clinical manifestations (1.00, 95 % CI: 1.00 – 1.00, 0.51, 95 % CI: 0.22 – 0.80), imaging (0.50, 95 % CI: 0.24 – 0.76, 0.03, 95 % CI: 0.00 – 0.17), molecular (1. 00, 95 % CI: 1.00 – 1.00, 0.92, 95 % CI: 0.77 – 1.00), immunological (0.32, 95 % CI: 0.10 – 0.57, 0.34, 95 % CI: 0.11 – 0.61), and histological approaches (0.79, 95 % CI: 0.52 – 0.98) in maternal and fetal/neonatal specimens, respectively. The possibility of intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from mother to fetus/newborn was 41 % (95 % CI 0.37 – 0.45). We might confirm/verify the intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoCV-2 from mother to fetus/newborn.