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A review of newborn outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic

Margaret H Kyle1, Melissa E Glassman2, Adrita Khan2

  • 1Division of Child and Adolescent Health, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY USA; Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Psychiatry Department, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY USA.

Seminars in Perinatology
|August 23, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Newborns born to mothers with COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) show a low risk of infection and adverse outcomes. Strict postnatal policies may harm newborns more than protect them from SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Research
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neonatal Care

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates identifying at-risk populations and informing clinical policies.
  • While respiratory illnesses often affect pregnant women and newborns, preliminary data suggest SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) poses no greater risk to these groups than the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on newborns born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • To assess the clinical outcomes and transmission risks for newborns exposed to COVID-19 in utero or during birth.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review of studies concerning newborns born to mothers with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • Analysis of reported clinical outcomes, including disease acquisition and severity, in neonates.

Main Results:

  • Newborns born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection rarely acquired the disease.
  • Observed clinical outcomes in these newborns were generally not adverse.
  • The risk of severe COVID-19 disease in healthy newborns is very low.

Conclusions:

  • Current evidence suggests newborns are not at significantly higher risk from COVID-19 compared to the general population.
  • Strict postnatal care policies (e.g., separation, discouraging breastfeeding) may pose a greater risk of adverse impact to newborns than the low risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
  • Revisiting and potentially modifying stringent postnatal care protocols is warranted based on current evidence regarding COVID-19 in newborns.

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