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Updated: Jun 24, 2025
Dynamic Monitoring of Seroconversion using a Multianalyte Immunobead Assay for Covid-19
Published on: February 16, 2022
Antibody status at delivery and pregnancy outcomes during the first Danish COVID-19 wave
Victoria Holten Springborg1, Julie Milbak1, Sissil Egge1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hilleroed.
Introduction:
We aimed to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in parturient women and their newborns during the first Danish COVID-19 wave and to identify associations with maternal background characteristics, self-reported symptoms, and pregnancy outcomes.
Methods:
In a single-centre, prospective cohort study from Denmark, we invited 1,883 women with singleton pregnancies giving live birth from 25 May 2020 to 2 November 2020. Hereof, 953 (50.6%) women were included. Nasopharyngeal swabs, maternal and umbilical cord blood samples, and questionnaires were collected. Medical records were available for participants and non-participants.
Results:
SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were found in 1.3% of the women. All newborns of seropositive women had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in cord blood. No association was found between SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and pregnancy outcomes. Self-reported loss of smell correlated with seropositivity (p less-than 0.001). No women were hospitalised due to COVID-19 during pregnancy or had a positive nasopharyngeal swab intrapartum.
Conclusions:
The prevalence of COVID-19 in pregnancy was low during the first wave. Maternal SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were associated with antibodies in cord blood, loss of smell and positive SARS-CoV-2 swab during pregnancy, but not with any adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Funding:
Ferring Pharmaceuticals funded part of the study.
Trial Registration:
The study was approved by the Regional Committee on Health Research Ethics (H-20028002) and the Danish Data Protection Agency (P-2020-264).
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