Neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants secondary to in utero exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection: A national prospective study in Kuwait

  1. Mariam Ayed
  2. Alia Embaireeg
  3. Mais Kartam
  4. Kiran More
  5. Mafaza Alqallaf
  6. Abdullah AlNafisi
  7. Zainab Alsaffar
  8. Zainab Bahzad
  9. Yasmeen Buhamad
  10. Haneen Alsayegh
  11. Wadha Al-Fouzan
  12. Hessa Alkandari
1 evaluations Published on
Read the full article Related papers
This article on Sciety

Abstract

Background

An increasing proportion of women are being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy. Intrauterine viral infections induce an increase in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, which inhibit the proliferation of neuronal precursor cells and stimulate oligodendrocyte cell death, leading to abnormal neurodevelopment. Whether a maternal cytokine storm can affect neonatal brain development is unclear. The objective of the present study is to assess neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonates born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, the neurodevelopment status of infants (N=298) born to women with SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy was assessed at 10-12 months post discharge using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition (ASQ-3). The ASQ-3 scores were classified into developmental delays (cutoff score: ≤2 standard deviations (SDs) below the population mean) and no delay (score >2 SDs above the population mean).

Results

Approximately 10% of infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy showed developmental delays. Two of 298 infants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and both had normal ASQ-3 scores. The majority of the pregnant women had SARS-CoV-2 infection during their third trimester. The risk of developmental delays among infants was higher in those whose mothers had SARS-CoV-2 infections during the first (P=0.039) and second trimesters (P=0.001) than in those whose mothers had SARS-CoV-2 infections during the third trimester. Infants born at <31 weeks gestation were more prone to developmental delays than those born at >31 weeks gestation (10% versus 0.8%; P=0.002).

Conclusion

The findings of the study highlight the need for long term neurodevelopmental assessment of infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Related articles

Related articles are currently not available for this article.