SARS-COV-2 positivity in fetus and route of mother-to-child transmission: A literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37800/RM.2.2022.38-44Keywords:
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), pregnancy and childbirth with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), placenta, fetus, COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) vertical transmissionAbstract
Relevance: An increase in the number of pregnant women with COVID-19 has been reported around the world [1], and the likelihood of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from mother to child (vertical transmission) in utero, during childbirth or in the early postpartum period. In general, respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 are not as readily transmitted in utero, with no evidence of intrauterine transmission of other respiratory coronavirus infections (SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV) and few reports of transmission of other respiratory pathogens. like the flu [2].
At present, the extent of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the timing of such transmission is unclear. Indeed, determining neonatal infection and when it occurred has been challenging. Despite the fact that two classification systems have been proposed [6, 7], there are no standardized definitions accepted at the international level. Such consistent definitions are the key to comparing data from different studies and identifying potential interventions to improve clinical outcomes.
The purpose of the study is to analyze current data on the mechanisms and timing of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from an infected mother to a child, in order to further predict the directions and prospects for future research.
Methods: Scientific literature search was performed in PubMed, MEDLINE, Google scholar from March 2020 to March 2022. We used combinations of the following keywords: "COVID-19", "SARS-CoV-2", "pregnancy with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)", "placenta with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)". Titles and abstracts were analyzed for relevance to the research topic.
Results: The literature review provides the latest high-quality research data on the mechanisms and timing of transmission of the virus to the fetus / newborn in women with a verified status.
Conclusion: Limited data are currently available on the extent of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the timing of transmission due to limitations related to the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests and the lack of collection of appropriate specimens at the appropriate time. This lack of data is partly due to the lack of standardized definitions that would allow the comparison of data from different studies.
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