Previous research had shown probable transmission of the virus from mother to fetus (representational)
Paris:
Doctors in France have described what they said was the first confirmed case of a newborn baby infected in the womb with COVID-19 by the mother.
The baby, born in March, suffered from cerebral swelling and neurological symptoms related to COVID-19 in adults, but has since recovered, they reported Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.
Previous research had shown the probable transmission of the virus from mother to fetus, but the study offers the first solid evidence, said lead author Daniele De Luca, a doctor at Antoine Beclere Hospital near Paris.
“We have shown that transmission from mother to fetus through the placenta is possible during the last weeks of pregnancy,” he said.
Last week, researchers in Italy said that data from 31 pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19 “strongly suggested” that the virus could be transmitted to unborn children.
A JAMA study in March of a similar number of COVID-19 pregnant patients came to a similar conclusion.
But the evidence remained circumstantial.
“You have to analyze the maternal blood, the amniotic fluid, the blood of the newborn, the placenta, et cetera,” said De Luca by telephone.
“Getting all of these samples during a pandemic with emergencies everywhere was not easy. That is why it was suspected but never demonstrated.”
De Luca and his team gathered this data for the case of a pregnant woman in her twenties admitted to hospital in early March.
Because the baby was delivered by cesarean, all potential sources and reservoirs of the virus remained intact.
The researchers found that the concentration of SARS-CoV-2, the technical name for the virus, was highest in the placenta.
“From there it went through the umbilical cord to the baby, where it develops,” said De Luca. “It’s the route of transmission.”
Bad news
The baby started to develop severe symptoms 24 hours after birth, including severe stiffness in the body, damage to the white matter in the brain, and extreme irritability.
But before doctors could choose a treatment, the symptoms began to decrease. Within three weeks, the newborn had almost fully recovered.
Three months later, her mother is symptom-free.
“The bad news is that it actually happened and can happen,” said De Luca. “The good news is that it is rare – very rare compared to the world‘s population.”
Among the thousands of babies born to mothers with COVID-19, no more than one or two percent tested positive for the virus, let alone have severe symptoms, said Marian Knight, professor of maternal and child health at the University of Oxford which did not participate in the research.
“The most important message for pregnant women remains to avoid infection by paying attention to hand washing and social distancing measures,” she said.
For others, the case study shed light on how the virus passes from mother to child.
“This report adds knowledge to a possible transfer mechanism to the baby via the placenta,” said Andrew Shennan, professor of obstetrics at King’s College London.
“But women can remain reassured that pregnancy is not a significant risk factor for them or their babies with COVID-19.”
(This story has not been edited by GalacticGaming staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
