COVID-19 study reveals virus-induced inflammation during pregnancy, redefines vertical transmission
A Cleveland Clinic-led study published in The EMBO Journal shows that mild and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections can trigger immune responses in a pregnant individual that may cause serious inflammatory responses in the developing fetus.
The study’s findings also suggest that vertical transmission of the virus from a pregnant individual to the fetus is more common than previously estimated — and that even without this transmission, a pregnant individual’s immunological response to infection may impact the fetus.
Typically, healthcare providers test for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19, in a newborn through a nasal swab after birth. For this study, Cleveland Clinic researchers collected samples from the placenta and the fetal compartment (tissues that surround a fetus while still in utero), and then analyzed them for the presence of inflammatory markers and virus. They found higher instances of the virus in those tissues than what could be found in a traditional nasal swab, and even in the absence of a full infection they found small proteins from the virus had passed through the placenta. The researchers hope their study will help ensure pregnant individuals can rapidly and reliably receive evidence-based medical care needed during novel outbreaks and public health crises.
The team also found elevated immune and inflammatory responses affecting the pregnancies of about 66% of study participants.
