Infants infected with SARS-CoV-2 and newborns born to mother diagnosed with COVID-19: clinical experience

Ir J Med Sci. 2022 Jun;191(3):1263-1268. doi: 10.1007/s11845-021-02662-8. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

Abstract

Background: Almost every day, new information about the COVID-19 pandemic continues to emerge. COVID-19 presents a mild clinical picture in children. However, how it goes in newborns and pregnant is still entirely unclear.

Aims: To present the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 positive newborns and outcomes of babies born to mothers diagnosed with COVID-19.

Methods: The present cohort-study examined two groups. The first group includes fourteen newborns born to mothers diagnosed with COVID-19. The second group evaluates twelve newborns infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Results: Fourteen infants born to mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 were not infected with SARS-CoV-2. They had no symptoms and pathological laboratory findings. Additionally, forty-one newborns suspected of COVID-19 were evaluated, and 12 of them were detected to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. The most common symptoms were feeding intolerance (vomiting or refusing to feed, 58%), cough (50%), elevated fever (42%), and respiratory distress (42%).

Conclusion: We did not come across any signs of vertical SARS-CoV-2 transmission. COVID-19 diagnosed newborns entirely healed with conservative treatment.

Keywords: Newborn; Pregnancy; SARS-CoV-2; Vertical transmission.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Mothers
  • Pandemics
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / diagnosis
  • SARS-CoV-2