Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

December 23, 2020

Assessment of Maternal and Neonatal SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load, Transplacental Antibody Transfer, and Placental Pathology in Pregnancies During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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A prospective cohort study of 127 pregnant women found inefficient transplacental transfer of maternal SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies and no evidence for prolonged viremia in either maternal or fetal circulation. No detectable viremia in maternal or cord blood was identified in 64 participants diagnosed with COVID-19 and no SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 88 tested placentas. Among 77 mother-infant dyads in whom antibodies were quantified in cord blood and maternal circulation, the ratio of maternal to fetal SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG was lower than the maternal to fetal ratio of influenza A (hemagglutinin)-specific IgG, which the authors suggest reflects inefficient transfer. 

Edlow et al. (Dec 22, 2020). Assessment of Maternal and Neonatal SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load, Transplacental Antibody Transfer, and Placental Pathology in Pregnancies During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.30455