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

Maternal COVID-19 exposure and placental characteristics

INTRODUCTION

The impact of COVID-19 on the placenta is poorly described, particularly among minority women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective case-control study. Micro- and macroscopic placental pathologic findings were compared for 15 COVID-19 positive and 36 negative mothers. Cases and controls were frequency matched on gestational age, race, maternal comorbidities, and delivery type. Data from the electronic medical record were supplemented with independent review of microscopic slides.

RESULTS

Placentas from cases and controls were similar except the median distance from the site of the cord insertion to the nearest disk margin was statistically significantly shorter among placentas from COVID-19 positive cases (3.5 versus 6.0 cm, p = 0.006). Case status was not associated with an increased risk of placental pathologies.

CONCLUSION

There are few pathologic differences between placentas of COVID-19 positive and negative mothers. Additional studies are needed to investigate the role of timing of infection.

Neonatal outcomes of maternal prenatal coronavirus infection

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to significant changes in life and healthcare all over the world. Pregnant women and their newborns require extra attention due to the increased risk of adverse outcomes. Adverse pregnancy outcomes include intensive care unit (ICU) admission, pulmonary, cardiac, and renal impairment leading to mortality. Immaturity and variations of the neonatal immune system may be advantageous in responding to the virus. Neonates are at risk of vertical transmission and in-utero infection. Impaired intrauterine growth, prematurity, vertical transmission, and neonatal ICU admission are the most concerning issues. Data on maternal and neonatal outcomes should be interpreted cautiously due to study designs, patient characteristics, clinical variables, the effects of variants, and vaccination beyond the pandemic. Cesarean section, immediate separation of mother-infant dyads, isolation of neonates, and avoidance of breast milk were performed to reduce transmission risk at the beginning of the pandemic in the era of insufficient knowledge. Vertical transmission was found to be low with favorable short-term outcomes. Serious fetal and neonatal outcomes are not expected, according to growing evidence. Long-term effects may be associated with fetal programming. Knowledge and lessons from COVID-19 will be helpful for the next pandemic if it occurs. IMPACT: Prenatal infection with SARS-CoV-2 is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Our review includes the effects of COVID-19 on the fetus and neonates, transmission routes, placental effects, fetal and neonatal outcomes, and long-term effects on neonates. There is a growing body of data and evidence about the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowledge and lessons from the pandemic will be helpful for the next pandemic if it happens.

COVID-19 and hepatic injury: cellular and molecular mechanisms in diverse liver cells

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents a global health and economic challenge. Hepatic injuries have been approved to be associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The viral tropism pattern of SARS-CoV-2 can induce hepatic injuries either by itself or by worsening the conditions of patients with hepatic diseases. Besides, other factors have been reported to play a crucial role in the pathological forms of hepatic injuries induced by SARS-CoV-2, including cytokine storm, hypoxia, endothelial cells, and even some treatments for COVID-19. On the other hand, several groups of people could be at risk of hepatic COVID-19 complications, such as pregnant women and neonates. The present review outlines and discusses the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 infection and hepatic injury, hepatic illness comorbidity, and risk factors. Besides, it is focused on the vaccination process and the role of developed vaccines in preventing hepatic injuries due to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Effect of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection on the placenta in the third trimester of pregnancy: A prospective case-control study

Objective:

To clarify the effect of asymptomatic coronaviruse disease-2019 (COVID-19) positivity on the placenta in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Materials and Methods:

This prospective, case-control study included 30 pregnant women diagnosed with asymptomatic COVID-19 between April 30, 2021 and July 20, 2021 who delivered after the 34^th gestational week, and a control group of 30 pregnant women without COVID-19, who delivered between April 2021 and July 2021, matched to the study group regarding age, gestational age and body mass index. Outcomes were compared in terms of demographic characteristics, serum blood outcomes, neonatal results, complications and placental histopathological findings.

Results:

The mean age of the study population was 28.8 years and the mean gestational week was 38.2 weeks. The C-reactive protein levels (38.2 mg/L vs 5.8 mg/L, p=0.001) and ferritin levels (266.4 μg/L and 40.5 μg/L, p=0.001) were significantly higher in the COVID-19-positive pregnant women. The lymphocyte level was significantly higher in the non-COVID-19 pregnant women (p=0.040). Mural hypertrophy was determined at a significantly higher rate in COVID-positive pregnant women (83.3% vs 30.0%, p=0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that only COVID-19 positivity increased the presence of mural hypertrophy in pregnant women with asymptomatic COVID-19 (4.716-fold, 95% confidence interval=1.012-22.251).

Conclusion:

The results of this study demonstrated that asymptomatic COVID-19 had no significant effect on pregnancy and neonatal complications. However, mural hypertrophy in the placenta was found at a significantly higher rate in pregnant women with asymptomatic COVID-19.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pregnant women and neonates with COVID-19 in Northwest Mexico

INTRODUCTION

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, has spread quickly worldwide, causing millions of cases and thousands of deaths. Some risk factors in the general population are related to the development of severe COVID-19 or death, but in pregnant women and neonates, the information is limited.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pregnant women and neonates diagnosed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR and serological tests, and analyze the relationship between the influenza vaccination and COVID-19 symptoms in infected pregnant women in Sinaloa state.

METHODS

We collected samples from 116 pregnant women and 84 neonates from the Women´s Hospital of Sinaloa. They were diagnosed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR and serological tests (IgG), and sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 11.2% (13/116) of the pregnant women were RT-PCR+, 25% (29/116) were IgG+ and 4.3% (5/116) were positive for both tests. Symptoms such as rhinorrhea (P = .04), cough (P = .02) and polypnea (P = .04) in pregnant women were related to COVID-19, also leukocyte index was higher in pregnant women with COVID-19 (P = .03), but the associations were lost after the Bonferroni correction. No laboratory parameters or underlying diseases were associated with COVID-19, and most infected pregnant women had mild cases. We found an association between the influenza vaccine and less common COVID-19 symptoms in pregnant women who were infected (P = .01). A total of 7.2% (6/84) of neonates were RT-PCR+, 35.7% (30/84) were IgG+, and there were no symptoms or underlying diseases associated with neonates who were infected. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that some symptoms were related to COVID-19, most pregnant women and neonates had mild cases, and the influenza vaccine could decrease the severity of COVID-19 cases in pregnant women.

Possible vertical transmission of corona virus disease 19 (COVID-19) from infected pregnant mothers to neonates: a multicenter study

INTRODUCTION

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly contagious with various possible routes of transmission, resulting in high mortality globally. Controversy exists regarding the vertical transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 infection to fetuses of COVID-19-infected women. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of the vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from COVID-19-infected mothers to their neonates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We prospectively collected demographical and clinical characteristics of 31 COVID-19 positive pregnant women and their neonates. All mothers and neonates were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection using the real-time polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal swabs and breast milk samples. Antenatal and placental abnormalities were ultrasonically and histopathologically examined. In cord blood samples, the immunoglobins (Ig) M and IgG were estimated qualitatively.

RESULTS

The women's mean age and gestational age were 31 years and 38 weeks, respectively, with 58% undergoing an elective cesarean section. Gestational diabetes was reported in 29% of cases, 64.5% of women were medically free and only 16.12% were symptomatic. A normal antenatal ultrasound was observed in 77.42% of cases. Nine cord blood samples were positive for IgG. Villous infarction (24%), villous agglutination, and chorangiosis (51%), accelerated villous maturation (21%) and reduced and hypercoiling were reported for 6.97% of the umbilical cords. Three newborns had possible vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection, of which, two were preterm and IUFD. The third neonate was born full-term, admitted to NICU and later discharged in good health.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support the possibility of the direct vertical transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 infection to neonates from infected mothers. Further studies with a larger sample size are required to validate the current findings.

Fetal Gallstones in a Newborn after Maternal COVID-19 Infection

Fetal gallstones are rare incidental findings on ultrasound during pregnancy. We describe a newborn girl with gallstones that was born to a mother who had COVID-19 infection during her last trimester. The baby remained asymptomatic, and the stones resolved spontaneously without any treatment or complications within six weeks of birth. Several conditions predispose to fetal gallstones, and it is unclear if the recent maternal COVID-19 infection had any role in the occurrence of these abnormalities or was merely coincidental. This is the first case describing an association of fetal gallstones with a COVID-19 infection in pregnancy.