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J Pediatr Infect Dis 2023; 18(05): 261-265
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1771349
Original Article

Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Mother-to-Child Vertical Transmission: Prospective and Observational Study

Alper Divarci 
1   Department of Neonatology, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
,
Ali Bulbul 
1   Department of Neonatology, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
,
Evrim Kiray Bas 
1   Department of Neonatology, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
,
Gulen Hurkal Yigitler 
2   Department of Microbiology, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
,
Alev Aydin 
3   Department of Perinatology, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
,
Hasan Avsar 
1   Department of Neonatology, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
,
Emel Celebi Congur 
4   Department of Infection Disease, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
,
Hasan Sinan Uslu 
1   Department of Neonatology, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
,
Ebru Turkoglu Unal 
1   Department of Neonatology, University of Health Science, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
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Abstract

Objective The COVID-19 pandemic was declared a pandemic and a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. COVID-19 infection is the most common cause of life-threatening acute respiratory tract infection in adults and older people but more mildly in the childhood age group. While the pandemic continues, there is no clear information about the vertical transmission of COVID-19 infection from the mother to the baby.

Methods In our study, we aimed to examine vertical virus transmission (breast milk, amniotic fluid, placenta) in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and to examine the demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of these infants. Our prospective and observational study was conducted in our hospital between March 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021.

Results During the study period, a total of 24 infants were included. All infants were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for postnatal follow-up. The virus was not detected in breast milk or amniotic fluids by the SARS-COV-2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, and no evidence of vertical transmission was found.

Conclusion In our study, no life-threatening complication was found in the babies of mothers infected with COVID-19 at birth. Babies born to mothers with COVID-19 infection did not develop any system findings that required specific treatment.

Keywords

COVID-19 - neonatology - breast milk - virolactia - vertical transmission

Availability of Data and Material

All data can be obtained from the corresponding author.


Ethics Approval

Our study was approved by the Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Clinical Research Ethics Commission (number 2741, date: 22/04/2020) and the Scientific Research Department of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Health Services (number: 2020–05–05T21_33_44).




Publication History

Received: 15 January 2023

Accepted: 15 June 2023

Article published online:
08 August 2023

© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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