The World Health Organization explains that although some pregnant women are at increased risk of developing severe Covid-19, it is not yet known for sure whether an infected pregnant woman can transmit the virus to the baby during pregnancy or delivery.
Although there is evidence that transmission of the coronavirus is rare during pregnancy, a small study published in October in the journal Nature suggests that it is possible.
In addition, as we are learning about this virus every day, the birth of babies with coronavirus antibodies has even suggested the possibility that they can be immunized if their mother is infected during pregnancy.
Researchers around the world are trying to answer these questions. Now a comprehensive new study has concluded that pregnant women infected with the coronavirus can transmit protective antibodies to the fetus. Its authors found that Covid antibodies can pass into the fetus’ placenta if the mother contracts the virus during pregnancy.
More maternal antibodies equals more antibodies for your baby
Researchers at the Pennsylvania Hospital, in Philadelphia (United States), Pennsylvania assert in their study, published in JAMA Pediatrics., That “maternal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were transferred through the placenta after both asymptomatic and asymptomatic infection. symptomatic during pregnancy “.
They also found that the baby inherits more antibodies if the mother had a high number of them , while a mother with a low number of immune cells passed less to her child.
To carry out the study, which was carried out between April 9 and August 8, 2020, antibodies were looked for in the mother’s blood samples, as well as in the umbilical cord blood of the placenta and the umbilical cord. , immediately after delivery. And is that the umbilical cord blood is identical to that of the newborn at the time of birth.
In addition, eleven babies born to mothers with Covid who did not have antibodies tested negative for the virus.
The results are reassuring news for future parents, but Dr. Karen Puopolo, author of the study, explains that they cannot say with certainty that the newborn of an infected mother is “absolutely safe” from Covid-19 because it is still being followed. researching on the subject and “this virus is still very new.”
“The time elapsed between maternal exposure to the virus and delivery was never more than three or four months in our study, and in most cases the time was shorter.
But there also needs to be enough time between maternal infection and delivery for the mother to produce the kind of antibodies that cross the placenta, and for that crossover to take place.
We found that if the time between maternal exposure to the virus and delivery was at least two to three weeks, we could detect antibodies in the newborn. “
The doctor is optimistic because “our results mean that maternal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 can efficiently cross the placenta and, therefore, the possibility that these maternally derived antibodies provide neonatal protection against infection by the SARS-CoV-2 “.
But he also calls for caution, ensuring that this study should not change the care protocols for pregnant women and their newborns: “Our work cannot tell a woman that her newborn is absolutely safe from COVID-19.”
Via | Daily Mail
Photos | iStock
In Babies and More | COVID-19 Vaccine: What We Know About Its Use In Pregnant Women, Nursing Mothers, Children And Adolescents, What WHO Says About The Use Of Pfizer And Moderna Vaccines Against COVID-19 In Pregnant Women
