Vertical Transmission Of COVID-19 Research Articles

Review of Impact of COVID-19 on Maternal, Neonatal Outcomes, and Placental Changes.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a disease that has caused a global impact. COVID-19 is transmitted through airborne droplets, respiratory secretions, and direct contact. The pandemic has affected individuals of different ages, and studying the impact of COVID-19 on maternal and newborn outcomes is critical. In this review, we highlight the impact of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy and its repercussion in the maternal-fetal binomial. Physiological changes that occur during pregnancy have significant effects on the immune system, cardiopulmonary system, and coagulation, and these changes can result in an altered response to COVID-19 infection. The symptoms, risk factors, and maternal health consequences of COVID-19 were discussed. In addition, the impact of newborns born to mothers with COVID-19 was reviewed. Finally, placental changes and vertical transmission of COVID-19 during pregnancy were also discussed in this review.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of neonates born to mothers with confirmed COVID-19 infection at Dr. Soetomo regional general hospital, Surabaya, in 2021

To describe the characteristics of neonates born to mothers with confirmed Covid-19 infection. A descriptive retrospective study using medical record data of patients treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Dr. Soetomo Regional General Hospital from January 1 to July 24, 2021. A total of 174 mothers were confirmed with positive COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab test results. A total of 11 neonates were confirmed with positive COVID-19 RT-PCR swab test results, and 30% of them (52 neonates) were born preterm. The delivery method was dominated by the Caesarean section, as many as 117 pregnant women (67%). A total of 48 neonates (27%) were born with a birth weight of < 2,500 grams, 18 babies (10%) were born died with 2 positive COVID-19 RT-PCR swab test results. Currently, no vertical transmission of COVID-19 was proven. Meanwhile, the horizontal transmission was assumed to be the source of COVID-19 infection in neonates. Indeed, the application of health protocols was proven to prevent such infection effectively.

The course of pregnancy and relapse of tuberculosis after COVID-19

The own observation of pregnancy and tuberculosis after COVID-19 in a patient who was treated in the pulmonary tuberculosis department N 2 of the Zaporizhia Regional Phthisiopulmonology Clinical Medical Diagnostic Center is presented. According to the presented clinical case, a woman, who had pulmonary tuberculosis 9 years ago, underwent mild COVID-19 at the 20th week of pregnancy and did not receive any treatment. The patient had of the dispensary observation in the phthisiatrician and regularly underwent preventive check-­up, because of her previous tuberculosis. However, the patient was hospitalized in the intensive care unit of the PNE «Regional Perinatal Center» ZRC with moderate preeclampsia, signs of intrauterine fetal hypoxia, in which the mother needed medical care, at the 32nd week of pregnancy. Three days after hospitalization, in view of the fetal distress and preeclampsia, it was made a decision to perform assisted delivery by cesarean section. The child was born alive, vertical transmission of COVID-19 was not diagnosed. Taking into account the history of tuberculosis in anamnesis, the woman underwent X-­ray examination of the thoracic cavity organs, where the reactivation of a specific process, on the background of metatuberculous changes, were revealed. The woman was diagnosed of multidrug­-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-­TB) with a destructive process in the lungs by further examination, that’s why, she was hospitalized to Zaporizhia Regional Clinical and Diagnostic Center of Phthysiatry and Pulmonology» of Zaporizhia Regional Council for further treatment. A course of antimycobacterial therapy (AMBT), according to the modified short­-term treatment regimen, was prescribed to the patient. Against the background of AMBT, rapid positive dynamics was determined: stable cessation of bacterial excretion was determined after 1 month of AMBT, and healing of destruction with the formation of residual post-­tuberculosis changes — after 2 months. The presented clinical case demonstrates the negative impact of COVID-19 both on the course of pregnancy (moderate preeclampsia, which led to cesarean section at 32nd weeks of pregnancy) and on the reactivation of the tuberculous process, with its course in the form of MDR­-TB.

Outcome of Fetus and Mother in Covid-19 Positive Pregnancies: A Retrospective Study

Aim:To assess the Feto-Maternal Outcome in Covid-19 Positive Pregnancies Study design: A retrospective study Place and duration: This study was conducted at Sheikh khalifa bin Zayed hospital Quetta, Pakistan from February 2020 to Feburary2021 Methodology:After ethical committee approval for the study, all medical records were evaluated for symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 positive pregnant females. After admission to the hospital, an experienced healthcare worker validated the SARS-COV-2 status of all afflicted women by taking nasopharyngeal swabs for real-time RT-PCR following WHO criteria.Bothfeto-maternal outcomes were observed, including psychological stress, fever, cough, sore throat, dyspnea, ICU hospitalizations, pneumonia, maternal transfer of COVID to newborn. SPSS version 22 was used to analyze the data. Results:The present study investigated 72 COVID-19 positive pregnant women. The mean age of females was 28 ± 5.6 years, and the mean gestational age was 37 weeks. The common symptoms were anxiety (18.1%), runny nose with fever (12.5%), cough and fever (9.7%), and sore throat (8.3), whereas 48.6% of cases were asymptomatic. Co-Morbidities include Hypertension (19.7), Anemia (8.3%), Diabetes Mellitus (5.6%), and Hypothyroidism (2.8%). Conclusion: The clinical course of COVID-19 infection in pregnant women appears similar to that of non-pregnant women. There was no vertical transmission of COVID-19, nor was there any neonatal mortality. Keywords: COVID-19, feto-maternal transmission, pandemic, pregnancy outcome

Isolation of antibodies from breast milk as a cure to Covid-19.

Dear Editor, The current Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first identified around the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China and was declared a global pandemic by WHO a few months after, in March 2020. Since then, the Coronavirus caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is of great concern to human life, affecting around 24.8 million people worldwide and causing 5.3 million lives to succumb to it as of 15th December’2021. (1) Even though vaccines against the virus have readily been made available to the population, with new strains of the virus coming to light every few months, the end still seems bleak. As part of the body’s innate mechanism, antibodies develop against a pathogen after one’s been exposed to it. Antibodies also make up a considerable composition of breast milk that provide immune protection to the neonates against diseases such as gastrointestinal tract infections, respiratory infections and middle ear infections. (2) COVID-19 targets individuals of all age groups, however in neonates the positivity ratio is considerably lower. While vertical transmission of COVID-19 has been a topic of much debate, there has been no definitive evidence to prove the phenomenon. (3) Currently studies state that there is no concrete proof confirming the association of COVID-19 and its spread via breast milk. (3) In a recent study by Rebecca Powell, strong associations were made between antibodies present in breast milk and COVID-19. After taking and assessing donated milk samples of eight COVID-19 recovered and seven COVID-19 suspected lactating females, it was found that milk from all COVID-19 recovered individuals showed notable SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA reactivity, suggesting that breast milk may contain immunoglobulins protective against the novel Coronavirus. (4) In another study, it was found that a woman who tested positive for COVID-19 had discoverable IgG and IgA in breast milk. Her newborn infant tested negative for the Virus at birth but showed an elevated IgG in serum (5), re-establishing our prior argument about the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in breast milk. Though, yet not fully researched, this discovery could possibly be a revolutionary step towards formulating a preventive measure to the Virus, thus helping eradicate the pandemic. The severity of neonatal complications arising with the malady may be drastically reduced. A more scientific research and thorough analysis to this finding is required to prove a causal relationship between the disease and antibodies present in breast milk.

Healthy Baby Delivery of a COVID-19 Infected Mother in Iran: Process and Protection

Background: In late December 2019, a kind of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. This virus rapidly spread worldwide and infected 195 countries and territories, including Iran. By March 22, 2020, the virus had affected more than 40000 people worldwide and caused more than 19000 deaths. Pregnant women are a vulnerable group to viral infections because partial immune suppression occurs during pregnancy. Therefore, the COVID-19 epidemic may cause a rising global concern about its consequences for pregnant women and fetuses.
 Objectives:In this case study, we report the delivery of a pregnant woman after her COVID-19 confirmation.
 Methods: We report a 44-year-old pregnant woman (32 weeks gestation) with COVID-19 who gave birth to a healthy baby with no evidence of COVID-19. We did not observe any worse clinical outcomes, such as maternal mortality, stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, and preterm delivery.
 Results: A preterm baby girl with 2500 g weight and Apgar scores at 5 minutes and 10 minutes were 9 and 10 was delivered. The preterm baby was normocephalic, had no icteric sclera, and the heart sounded normal without murmurs, Lung ventilation was normal.
 Conclusion: Viral pneumonia may severely be presented in pregnancy because of physiological and immunological changes and shift from cell-mediated to humoral-mediated immunity during the pregnancy period. Vertical transmission of COVID-19 from mother to child, shortterm and long-term adverse effects on mother and newborn are still unclear and controversial.

Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection, its Vertical Transmission, and Impact on Overall Perinatal Outcomes: A Narrative Review.

COVID-19 pandemic caused by single-stranded RNA containing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) started in early December 2019 from the Wuhan city of China and has been affected millions of people, including pregnant women worldwide. Research from all over the world has shown that the SARS-CoV-2 infection can be transmitted vertically from mother to fetus but is very rare. Neonatal infection with COVID-19 accounts for only a small proportion of the total population infected. Furthermore, very few studies have observed the impact of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on neonatal outcomes. Thus, the literature about neonatal transmission and outcomes in COVID-19 infected antenatal women is very scattered and limited. The present review briefs on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection from mother to fetus and its impact on perinatal outcomes. English language articles from various databases including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Scholar, MedRxiv, and Web of Science and from the World Health Organization site were searched from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic up to June 2021. The search terms used were "SARS-CoV-2 and pregnancy outcome, "COVID-19 and neonatal outcome", "Placental changes in COVID-19 infected pregnant women", "Vertical transmission of COVID-19". Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection can be transmitted to the fetus, though uncommon, and can lead to adverse perinatal outcomes, including preterm births, intrauterine growth restriction, NICU admission, stillbirths. The data on transmission and the adverse neonatal outcome is sparse, and many more studies are needed to fully understand the mechanism by which maternal COVID-19 infection can affect fetuses and neonates.

COVID-19 Infection During Pregnancy Induces Differential Gene Expression in Human Cord Blood Cells From Term Neonates.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic continues worldwide with fluctuating case numbers in the United States. This pandemic has affected every segment of the population with more recent hospitalizations in the pediatric population. Vertical transmission of COVID-19 is uncommon, but reports show that there are thrombotic, vascular, and inflammatory changes in the placenta to which neonates are prenatally exposed. Individuals exposed in utero to influenza during the 1918 pandemic had increased risk for heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, stomach disease and hypertension. Early exposure of COVID-19 during fetal life may lead to altered gene expression with potential long-term consequences.ObjectiveTo determine if gene expression is altered in cord blood cells from term neonates who were exposed to COVID-19 during pregnancy and to identify potential gene pathways impacted by maternal COVID-19.MethodsCord blood was collected from 16 term neonates (8 exposed to COVID-19 during pregnancy and 8 controls without exposure to COVID-19). Genome-wide gene expression screening was performed using Human Clariom S gene chips on total RNA extracted from cord blood cells.ResultsWe identified 510 differentially expressed genes (374 genes up-regulated, 136 genes down-regulated, fold change ≥1.5, p-value ≤ 0.05) in cord blood cells associated with exposure to COVID-19 during pregnancy. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis identified important canonical pathways associated with diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hematological disease, embryonic cancer and cellular development. Tox functions related to cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity were also altered after exposure to COVID-19 during pregnancy.ConclusionsExposure to COVID-19 during pregnancy induces differential gene expression in cord blood cells. The differentially expressed genes may potentially contribute to cardiac, hepatic, renal and immunological disorders in offspring exposed to COVID-19 during pregnancy. These findings lead to a further understanding of the effects of COVID-19 exposure at an early stage of life and its potential long-term consequences as well as therapeutic targets.

A Clinical Retrospective Study on the Transmission of COVID-19 From Mothers to Their Newborn and Its Outcome.

IntroductionIndia is the second most populated country in the world. The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant morbidity and mortality in pregnant women and newborns. Due to the decreased lung volume and immunocompromised state, pregnant women are more prone to rapid clinical deterioration. Regarding the transmission of COVID-19 infection to newborns, there is no clear-cut evidence regarding the intrauterine or vertical transmission of COVID-19 from the affected pregnant women to their neonates.AimThis study aimed to assess the outcome of neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry, India.MethodsThis retrospective case record-based study was conducted among all neonates born to COVID-19-positive mothers at a tertiary care institution in Puducherry from April 2020 to June 2020. All the newborns born to COVID-19-positive mothers during the specified period of time were included in the study.ResultsA total of 98 COVID-positive mothers were included in the study. Of these, 13.27% showed mild upper respiratory infection, and one had a moderate category. The mean gestational age was 38.4+1.12 weeks. About 53.06% of COVID-19-positive mothers had C-sections, 45.92% had a normal vaginal delivery, and only one had an instrumental vaginal delivery. All the mothers gave birth to singleton neonates; of 98 newborns, 51 were female, and 47 were male with the mean birth weight of 3.1 ± 0.4 kg. Among the 98 neonates, only six developed COVID-19 infection. Among the six, four acquired infections during the first to second week of the postnatal period and two acquired infections during the fourth week. Three neonates born by normal vaginal delivery only had a fever; two neonates manifested fever, cough, and increased respiratory rate; and only one neonate developed hypoxia.ConclusionThe study showed that vertical transmission from the mother to the newborn is extremely minimal. In our study, six neonates acquired infection mostly due to the close contact of the newborn with the mother during rooming-in and breastfeeding.

Vertical Transmission of COVID-19 from Mother to Neonate: A Case Report

Vertical transmission of COVID-19 is a rare case and still in debate. Knowledge and evidences regarding vertical transmission are recently emerging. Further research is still required to determine the mechanism of vertical transmission and long-term follow-up is needed to know the effect of the COVID-19 to the mother and child. We report a case of COVID-19 vertical transmission from mother to neonate

Vertical transmission of COVID-19 can cause subsequent complications in pregnancy

Vertical transmission of acute respiratory syndrome involving coronavirus-2 in pregnant women with COVID-19 (serious acute respiratory syndrome, coronavirus-2 [SARS-CoV-2]) and variations in the progression of maternity complications, including abortion, fetal malformations, impaired fetal development, and/or stillbirth. According to the clinical literature, vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is rare, but even if a SARS-CoV-2-negative neonatal test is administered, there is still a risk of infection and persistent abnormalities including fetal and maternal vascular dysfunction, major SARS-CoV-2 receptors are known to be an enzyme converting to angiotensin 2 (ACE2) and are highly expressed in maternal fever cells. Endothelial cells, smooth muscle vascular primary and secondary chorionic cells. However, it is not possible to eliminate other routes of placental infection. CoV-2 is often contaminated by fusion trophoblasts, but fetuses are seldom affected. The existence of the placental barrier is suggested by these findings, even if it is not fully successful. Intensive health research, such as repeated ultrasonography and fetal heart rate tracking, is strongly advised during pregnancy. Women infected with COVID-19 can carefully evaluate placental specimens after delivery through morphological and molecular techniques, as the extent and molecular mechanisms of intrauterine vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 are yet to be established.

Increased Risk for Maternal Anxiety during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Brazil among Pregnant Women without Comorbidities.

To study maternal anxiety in pregnant women without comorbidities in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak in Brazil and to study maternal knowledge and concerns about the pandemic. This is a secondary analysis from a national multicenter cross-sectional study performed in 10 cities, from June to August, 2020, in Brazil. Interviewed postpartum women, without medical or obstetrical comorbidities, were included in the present subanalysis. A structured questionnaire and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were applied. Out of the 1,662 women, 763 (45.9%) met the criteria for the current analysis and 16.1% presented with moderate and 11.5% with severe maternal anxiety. Moderate or severe maternal anxiety was associated with high school education (odds ratio [OR]:1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.04-2.40). The protective factor was cohabiting with a partner (OR: 0.46; 95%CI: 0.29-0.73). There was a positive correlation between the total BAI score and receiving information about care in the pandemic (rpartial 0.15; p < 0.001); concern about vertical transmission of COVID-19 (rpartial 0.10; p = 0.01); receiving information about breastfeeding (rpartial 0.08; p = 0.03); concerns about prenatal care (rpartial 0.10; p = 0.01), and concerns about the baby contracting COVID-19 (rpartial 0.11; p = 0.004). The correlation was negative in the following aspects: self-confidence in protecting from COVID-19 (rpartial 0.08; p = 0.04), having learned (rpartial 0.09; p = 0.01) and self-confidence in breastfeeding (rpartial 0.22; p < 0.001) in the context of the pandemic. The anxiety of pregnant women without medical or obstetrical comorbidities was associated to high school educational level and not living with a partner during the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-confidence in protecting against COVID-19 and knowledge about breastfeeding care during the pandemic reduced maternal anxiety.

Vertical transmission of Covid - 19. What does the evidence say?

Vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from the infected mother to the newborn is still uncertain and the definitive answer is under evaluation. of this review was to evaluate the evidence available in the literature regarding whether the pregnant woman infected by SARS-CoV-2 represents a potential risk of vertical transmission to the fetus and/or newborn. A scoping review was performed using Science Direct, PubMed, and Cochrane library to search for research papers. published studies of pregnant mothers with COVID-19, with perinatal outcomes reported in the first 72 hours after birth. 569 studies were found; 65 of them were repeated. Therefore, 504 were evaluated, of which 460 were excluded. Finally, 42 research papers that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. 334 pregnant women with COVID-19 and 335 new borns were described; of which 20 presented SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from nasopharyngeal swab. Of these, 18 were identified in the first 48 hours after birth and 12 presented with symptoms. The most frequent route of delivery was cesarean section in 76.2%, and the gestational age range of the newborns was between 26 and 40 weeks. In 86.8% of the cases, mother-child pairs were isolated. Vertical transmission of COVID-19 is possible, although infrequent. Prospective studies are required to establish the possibility of in utero maternal- fetal transmission and its consequences.

A critical assessment of the potential vertical transmission hypotheses: Implications for research on the early-life infection with COVID-19.

The risk of potential vertical transmission in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women is currently a topic of debate. To explore the correlation between the two, we searched PubMed, Embase®, and Web of Science for studies on vertical transmission of COVID-19. The quality of the studies was evaluated by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Detailed information of each included case including methods of delivery, protection measures for mothers and neonates at birth, types of specimens, inspection time, results of testing and feeding patterns was collected to assess the possibility of vertical transmission. The results showed that of the 390 neonates reported in 36 studies, 23 were infected with SARS-CoV-2 by potential vertical transmission. From the perspective of virology and pathology, vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was possible via uterus or breastmilk. Some reported potential vertically transmitted neonates could be attributed to horizontal transmission. It is extremely vital to fully elucidate the potential routes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, implicating clinical practice and nursing to reduce the risk of not only horizontal transmission but also vertical transmission, thus protecting neonates from COVID-19 infection.

A Comprehensive Review of the Management of Pregnant Women with COVID-19: Useful Information for Obstetricians.

Due to the physiological changes of the cardiovascular system and respiratory system in pregnancy, pregnant women are vulnerable to pathogen infection and severe pneumonia. With the increasing incidence of COVID-19 pneumonia, its influence on pregnant women and neonates has attracted more attention. In this review, we collected all relevant articles published in English from September 1, 2019 to June 10, 2021, regarding the epidemiology, clinical presentations, chemical examinations, imaging findings, the timing of delivery and delivery mode, maternal and neonatal complications, medication, and vertical transmission of COVID-19 in pregnancy. It has been reported that compared with non-pregnant females, pregnant women with COVID-19 are more likely to develop into severe type. In particular, the risk of entering the intensive care unit and endotracheal intubation was higher. Chest computed tomography and blood routine examination are useful for the diagnosis of COVID-19 in a short period of time. COVID-19 pneumonia is not an independent indication for terminating the pregnancy, and it is not contraindicated for vaginal delivery. Compared to normal pregnant females, patients with COVID-19 showed an elevated susceptibility of preterm delivery. Multidisciplinary consultation was suggested in the treatment policy of COVID-19 in pregnancy. Currently, there is no evaluation on the safety, efficacy, and immunity of the approved vaccines for mothers and infants. In human placental tissues, the COVID-19 virus has been found by different detection methods. The mechanism by which the virus enters the placental tissue is unclear, which may be related to placental inflammation. The long-term prognosis of pregnant women with COVID-19 remains unclear and requires further detailed investigation.

A systematic review of pregnant women with COVID-19 and their neonates.

BackgroundIn December 2019, a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China, with an incredible contagion rate. However, the vertical transmission of COVID-19 is uncertain.ObjectivesThis is a systematic review of published studies concerning pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 and their neonates.Search strategyWe carried out a systematic search in multiple databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, and WHO COVID-19 database using the following keywords: (Coronavirus) OR (novel coronavirus) OR (COVID-19) OR (COVID19) OR (COVID 19) OR (SARS-CoV2) OR (2019-nCoV)) and ((pregnancy) OR (pregnant) OR (vertical transmission) OR (neonate) OR (newborn) OR (placenta) OR (fetus) OR (Fetal)). The search took place in April 2020.Selection criteriaOriginal articles published in English were eligible if they included pregnant patients infected with COVID-19 and their newborns.Data collection and analysesThe outcomes of interest consisted of clinical manifestations of COVID-19 in pregnant patients with COVID-19 and also the effect of COVID-19 on neonatal and pregnancy outcomes.Main results37 articles involving 364 pregnant women with COVID-19 and 302 neonates were included. The vast majority of pregnant patients were in their third trimester of pregnancy, and only 45 cases were in the first or second trimester (12.4%). Most mothers described mild to moderate manifestations of COVID-19. Of 364 pregnant women, 25 were asymptomatic at the time of admission. The most common symptoms were fever (62.4%) and cough (45.3%). Two maternal deaths occurred. Some pregnant patients (12.1%) had a negative SARS‐CoV‐2 test but displayed clinical manifestations and abnormalities in computed tomography (CT) scan related to COVID‐19. Twenty‐two (6.0%) pregnant patients developed severe pneumonia. Two maternal deaths occurred from severe pneumonia and multiple organ dysfunction. Studies included a total of 302 neonates from mothers with COVID‐19. Of the studies that provided data on the timing of birth, there were 65 (23.6%) preterm neonates. One baby was born dead from a mother who also died from COVID-19. Of the babies born alive from mothers with COVID‐19, five newborns faced critical conditions, and two later died. A total of 219 neonates underwent nasopharyngeal specimen collection for SARS‐CoV‐2, of which 11 tested positive (5%). Seventeen studies examined samples of the placenta, breast milk, umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid, and all tested negative except one amniotic fluid sample.ConclusionsA systematic review of published studies confirm that the course of COVID-19 in pregnant women resembles that of other populations. However, there is not sufficient evidence to establish an idea that COVID-19 would not complicate pregnancy.

Caeserean delivery of women with COVID-19 in padang, indonesia: A case report

Pregnant women became one of the groups which require more attention during COVID-19 pandemic. Pregnant women seem more likely to have a mild symptom of COVID-19 infection or to be an asymptomatic case. Case presentation: A 29 year old female, 36 weeks pregnant, was tested postive for COVID-19 and hospitalized in dr. M Djamil Hospital, Padang, during COVID-19 pandemi. Patient recovered from fever five days prior, and the remaining symptoms included cough and shortness of breath. Patient was eliminated with low segment cesarean section (LSCS/ C-Section), and inpatient for 3 weeks. There was no negative outcome and the baby was tested negative of COVID-1. Likewise, patient was tested negative after 14 days. Further investigation revealed that patien suffered mild COVID-19-related liver injury. The follow-up treatment was albumin injection. Conclusion: There was no vertical transmission of COVID-19 between mother and the baby which suggests caeserean delivery may not increase neonatal infection. However, this case also exhibited that liver dysfunction has been continuingly related to COVID-19 infection and intensive care admission.

Fetal procedures during COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges in a newly developing centre

Prenatal invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures have drastically reduced during COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike routine prenatal care, these are time bound and highly skilled procedures available at specialized centres. This adds to the limited accessibility for at-risk women. Major concerns including procedure related risk, exposure of health care personnel and vertical transmission of COVID-19. At newly developing tertiary centre, we had done 36 fetal procedures during pandemic including 25 amniocentesis, three chorion villus sampling and eight intrauterine transfusions. It is advisable to perform life-saving fetal interventions irrespective of COVID-19 status taking full precautions and proper counselling of women.

Pregnant woman infected by Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and calcifications of the fetal bowel and gallbladder.

COVID-19 was declared to be a pandemic due to the rapid increase of cases around the world, including the number of pregnant women. Data about vertical transmission of COVID-19 are still limited and controversial: in most cases, although a positive mother, the virus could not be isolated in amniotic fluid, cord blood, breast milk or neonatal throat swab in these patients. No data have been published about possible intrauterine sonographic signs of infection. A pregnant woman was diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 at 35+5 weeks of gestation and managed conservatively at home. At transabdominal ultrasound at 38+3 weeks, fetal bowel and gallbladder calcifications were noted. CMV and other infectious agents were ruled out; an iterative caesarean section was performed at 38+5 weeks without complications. Placenta resulted negative for SARS-CoV-2; the umbilical cord blood sample was IgG positive and IgM negative as per maternal infection. The baby developed respiratory distress syndrome requiring endotracheal surfactant administration and nasal-CPAP for one day but nasopharyngeal swabs at birth and after 48 hours were SARS-CoV-2 negative. Neonatal abdominal ultrasound showed normal liver, acalculous gallbladder with mild parietal thickening. The baby was discharged in good conditions. Although gallbladder calcifications and echogenic bowel are highly suspicious of viral infection and were thought to be due to the vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2, these findings were not corroborated by the results of our diagnostic tests; these sonographic findings might represent a false positive of fetal infection in mother affected by COVID-19 since vertical transmission appears to be rare.

Vertical Transmission of COVID-19 in Children of Sero-positive Mothers to SARS-CoV-2 in Southeast Mexico: A Case Report

The clinical features of Covid-19 have been described in adults and infants younger than 1 year of age, although there is little data on the characteristics and the potential of intrauterine transmission in newborns A case of infection was identified in a baby born in Cancun Quintana Roo, in a regional hospital at the beginning of the epidemic The patient did not require intensive care, nor were there any serious complications The mother was infected with SARSCoV-2, showing mild respiratory symptoms Although 10 mothers with symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 have been observed to date, only one case of a positive newborn has been identified in the hospital In summary, newborns are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection The SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive newborn had no symptoms, and so SARS-Cov2 may be considered less severe in neonates than in adults Vertical intrauterine transmission in women who develop COVID-19 pneumonia is possible, although evidence is still lacking in Latin America and around the world