Comprehensive analysis of COVID-19 during pregnancy

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Kathryn Moore, Emory University; Mehul Suthar, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-12-24
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.12.064
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
• Volume: 538
• Start Page: 180
• End Page: 186
• Grant/Funding Information: The research reported in this publication was supported in part by an Emory EVPHA Synergy Fund award, COVID-Catalyst-I3 Funds from the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Woodruff Health Sciences Center 2020 COVID-19 CURE Award, and by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the award numbers ORIP/OD P51OD011132, 3U19AI057266-17S1, HIPC COVID-19 Supplement U19AI090023, R01AI127799, R01AI148378, U01AI131566, and R01AI149486. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
• Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; Placenta; Antibody response; COVID-19; Pregnancy; Vertical transmission
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Biology, Virology

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic resulting from the emergence of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 remains a major global health concern. Pregnant individuals are more likely to develop severe COVID-19 and a number of pregnancy complications have been observed in COVID-19 patients. To date, little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy. In this review, we examine key aspects of pregnancy that may be impacted by COVID-19 and summarize the current literature on SARS-CoV-2 infection of the placenta and in utero vertical transmission. Furthermore, we highlight recent studies exploring the role of the maternal antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and the passive transfer of maternal antibodies from mothers with COVID-19 to fetus.