Neuropsychomotor Development of Children Exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in Utero During COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Little is known about the effects of intrauterine exposure to SARS-CoV-2, especially on growth and neurodevelopment in children. Objective: We wished to verify the effect of intrauterine exposure to SARS-CoV-2 on neurological development in children. Methods: Infants born to mothers presenting with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy were enrolled in a prospective descriptive-analytical study involving outpatient appointments performed 6 and 12 months after birth. Their neurological development was assessed using the Bayley-III Scale, using a score of >85 as the cutoff threshold for identifying developmental delay. Differences between groups were assessed through an ANOVA, using Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Regression models were employed to examine the associations between the Bayley-III scores and maternal features. Results: Two hundred and sixty-nine infants were evaluated, most of whom were born full-term and with birth weights appropriate for gestational age at delivery. Developmental delays were observed in 26% of the infants in at least one of the Bayley-III domains. The language domain was particularly affected, with impairments observed in children exposed to SARS-CoV-2 closer to the time of delivery. These findings were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Infants born to mothers presenting with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy presented developmental delays at 6 and 12 months, particularly in the language domain. These findings reinforce the relevance of long-term clinical follow-ups of newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.