ZCZC
BFF-38
HEALTH-VIRUS-PREGNANT
‘Strong evidence’ mothers can transmit virus to newborns
PARIS, July 9, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – There is “strong evidence” that
COVID-19- positive mothers can pass the virus on to their unborn
infants, scientists said Thursday, in findings that could affect how
pregnant women are shielded during the pandemic.
While there have been isolated cases of babies infected with the
virus, the findings show the strongest link yet between mother and
infant transmission.
Researchers in Italy studied 31 pregnant women hospitalised with
COVID-19, and found the virus in an at-term placenta, umbilical cord,
the vagina of one woman and in breast milk.
They also identified specific COVID-19 antibodies in the umbilical
cords of several pregnant women as well as in milk specimens.
Claudio Fenizia, from the University of Milan and lead study author,
said the findings “strongly suggest” that in-vitro transmission is
possible.
“Given the number of infected people worldwide, the number of women
that could be affected by this could be potentially very high,” he
told AFP.
Fenizia stressed that none of the infants born during the study
period tested positive for COVID-19.
“Although in utero transmission seems to be possible, it is too
early to clearly assess the risk and potential consequences,” he said.
The World Health Organization said last month that new mothers
infected with COVID-19 should continue breastfeeding.
“We know that children are at relatively low-risk of COVID-19, but
are at high risk of numerous other diseases and conditions that
breastfeeding prevents,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Among other findings, the team identified a specific inflammatory
response triggered by COVID-19 in the women’s placenta and umbilical
cord blood plasma.
Fenizia said that the women studied were all in their third
trimester, given the timeframe of Italy’s epidemic, adding that more
research is currently under way among COVID-19-positive women in the
early stages of pregnancy.
“Our study is aimed at raising awareness and inviting the scientific
community to consider the pregnancy in positive women as an urgent
topic to further characterise and dissect,” he said.
“I believe that promoting prevention is the safer advice we could
possibly give right now for these patients.”
The study was released during a week-long International AIDS
Conference, held online for the first time in its history due to the
pandemic.
BSS/AFP/MRU/2128hrs