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Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Pregnancy on Infant Neurobehavioral Development: A Case-Control Study
Yao Cheng1, Haoyue Teng2, Yue Xiao2
1Department of Obstetric, Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Wuhan, China.
Insights
Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may impact infant neurobehavioral development, with neonates showing lower scores in several domains, particularly fine motor skills. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Neonatal Development
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Limited research exists on SARS-CoV-2 effects on infant neurobehavioral development.
- Previous studies focused on general populations and pregnant women, not specifically infant outcomes.
- Understanding SARS-CoV-2 impact on neurodevelopment is crucial for maternal and child health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women on infant neurobehavioral development.
- To assess specific domains of infant neurobehavioral development affected by maternal COVID-19.
- To establish a baseline for future research on this topic.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted with 9 pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 and 9 matched controls.
- Infant neurobehavioral development was assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires Edition 3 (ASQ-3).
- Maternal age, parity, and chronic disease status were used for matching.
Main Results:
- Neonates born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection showed lower ASQ-3 scores in communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social domains.
- A statistically significant difference was observed in the fine motor domain (P = 0.031).
- All newborn throat swabs were negative for SARS-CoV-2.
Conclusions:
- SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may adversely affect infant neurobehavioral development.
- Fine motor skills appear to be particularly vulnerable to maternal COVID-19.
- Larger sample sizes are required to validate these preliminary findings and understand long-term implications.
Abstract:
Background: Previous studies on the pneumonia outbreak caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have focused on the general population and pregnant women, while little is known about the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on retardation during and after pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential influence of SARS-CoV-2 on infant neurobehavioral development. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Wuhan Maternal and Child Health Hospital, China. Nine pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 9 controls matched by maternal age, parity, and status of chronic disease were included. Infantile neurobehavioral development was assessed through the Ages and Stages Questionnaires Edition 3 (ASQ-3). Results: The majority of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 experienced cesarean section (7 of 9), which was higher than the control group (5 of 9). The throat swabs of all newborn were negative. We found that compared with the control group, neonates of mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy had lower scores in communication, gross movement, fine movement, problem solving, and personal-social domains; but only fine movement domain yielded statistical significance (P = 0.031). Conclusion: Infection with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy may have a certain impact on infant neurobehavioral development. Further studies with larger sample size are warranted for validation.
