COVID-19 Pandemic and Infant Neurodevelopmental Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Primary studies proposed that aberrant maternal antiviral immunity and/or giving birth in quarantine, such as during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, may be associated with the risk of neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in offspring. Objectives: To evaluate the associations of birth and being raised during the COVID-19 pandemic with risk of NDI among infants and to assess the association of gestational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 with risk of NDI. Data Sources: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and preprint servers were systematically searched from inception to March 25, 2022. Study Selection: Studies evaluating the neurodevelopment of infants born during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Studies using Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3), were used for quantitative meta-analysis. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses, a random-effects model meta-analysis was used to pool the proportion and odds ratios (ORs) of overall NDI, as well as each developmental domain on ASQ-3 with the corresponding 95% CI. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the risk of overall NDI among infants screened during the pandemic vs prepandemic. The secondary outcome was the comparison of NDI by ASQ-3 domain among infants born to women with known gestational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 vs no exposure. Results: A total of 8 studies were included, including 21 419 infants (11 438 screened in pandemic and 9981 in prepandemic period). NDI was present in 330 of 8992 infants (7%; 95% CI, 4%-10%) screened during the COVID-19 pandemic from January 2020 to January 2021. Among the pandemic cohort, the prevalence of NDI among infants with gestational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 was 77 of 691 (12%; 95% CI, 6%-18%). Compared with the prepandemic cohort (2015-2019), the pandemic cohort was more likely to have communication impairment (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.37-2.11; P < .001), without significant differences in other ASQ-3 domains (eg, gross motor, fine motor, personal-social, and problem-solving). In contrast, maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection was not associated with significant differences in any neurodevelopment domain in offspring, except for increasing the odds of fine motor impairment (OR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.43-8.38; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this systematic review and meta-analysis examining the association between COVID-19 pandemic and the risk of NDI, findings suggest that overall neurodevelopment in the first year of life was not changed by either being born or raised during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic or by gestational exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Interestingly, the first year of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of maternal infection, was significantly associated with the risk of communication delay among the offspring.

Placental Vascular and Inflammatory Findings from Pregnancies Diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

We aimed to perform a meta-analysis of the literature concerning histopathologic findings in the placentas of women with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection during pregnancy. Searches for articles in English included PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and reference lists (up to April 2021). Studies presenting data on placental histopathology according to the Amsterdam Consensus Group criteria in SARS-CoV-2 positive and negative pregnancies were identified. Lesions were categorized into: maternal and fetal vascular malperfusion (MVM and FVM, respectively), acute placental inflammation with maternal and fetal inflammatory response (MIR and FIR, respectively), chronic inflammatory lesions (CILs), and increased perivillous fibrin deposition (PVFD). A total of 15 studies reporting on 19,025 placentas, n = 699 of which were derived from women who were identified as being infected with SARS-CoV-2 and 18,326 as SARS-CoV-2-negative controls, were eligible for analysis. No significant difference in incidence of MVM (odds ratio [OR]: 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73-1.90), FVM (OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.63-2.42), MIR (OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.29-1.52) or FIR (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.44-1.63), and CILs (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.55-1.72) was found between placentae from gravida identified as being SARS-CoV-2 infected. However, placenta from gravida identified as being infected with SARS-CoV-2 were associated with significantly increased occurrence of PVFD (OR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.06-7.27). After subgroup analyses based on clinical severity of COVID-19 infection, no significant difference was observed in terms of reported placental pathology between symptomatic or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 gravidae placenta. Current evidence based on the available literature suggests that the only pathologic finding in the placentae of women who are pregnant identified as having been infected with SARS-CoV-2 was an increased prevalence of PVFD. KEY POINTS: · No association between SARS-CoV-2 and maternal or fetal placental malperfusion.. · No association between SARS-CoV-2 and maternal or fetal inflammatory response.. · SARS-CoV-2 is associated with increased perivillous fibrin deposition in placenta..

Intention to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to assess the level of intent to receive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and demographical factors influencing vaccine uptake among pregnant individuals. STUDY DESIGN: PubMed, Scopus, and archive/pre-print servers were searched up to May 22nd, 2021. Cross sectional surveys reporting the percentage of the pregnant individuals intending to get a COVID-19 vaccine were considered eligible for meta-analysis. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021254484). The primary outcome was to estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccination intent among pregnant population. The secondary outcome was to evaluate the factors influencing the intention for vaccination. RESULTS: Twelve studies sourcing data of 16,926 individuals who were identified as pregnant were eligible. The estimated intention for the receipt of COVID-19 vaccine among women who were pregnant was 47% (95% CI: 38-57%), with the lowest prevalence in Africa 19% (95% CI: 17-21%) and the highest in Oceania 48.0% (95% CI: 44.0-51.0%). Uptake of other vaccines (influenza and/or TdaP) during pregnancy was associated with higher rate of intent to receive the COVID-19 vaccine (OR = 3.03; 95% CI: 1.37-6.73; p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The intent to receive COVID-19 vaccine is relatively low among women who are pregnant and substantially varies based on the country of residence. In our meta-analysis, intent of women who were pregnant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was significantly associated with the history of receiving influenza or TdaP vaccine during pregnancy. Given that in every country only a minority of gravidae have received the COVID-19 vaccine, despite known risks of maternal morbidity and mortality with no evidence of risks of vaccination, it highlights the importance of revised approaches at shared decision making and focused public health messaging by national and international advisories. KEY POINTS: · The estimated global intention for COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women was 47%.. · The lowest intention was in Africa and the highest in Oceania.. · These findings highlight the importance of public health messaging by by different agencies..

Maternal death due to COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Despite 2.5 million infections and 169,000 deaths worldwide (as of April 20, 2020), no maternal deaths and only a few pregnant women afflicted with severe respiratory morbidity have been reported to be related to COVID-19 disease. Given the disproportionate burden of severe and fatal respiratory disease previously documented among pregnant women following other coronavirus-related outbreaks (SARS-CoV in 2003 and MERS-CoV in 2012) and influenza pandemics over the last century, the absence of reported maternal morbidity and mortality with COVID-19 disease is unexpected. OBJECTIVE: To describe maternal and perinatal outcomes and death in a case series of pregnant women with COVID-19 disease. STUDY DESIGN: We describe here a multiinstitution adjudicated case series from Iran that includes 9 pregnant women diagnosed with severe COVID-19 disease in their second or third trimester. All 9 pregnant women received a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction nucleic acid testing. Outcomes of these women were compared with their familial/household members with contact to the affected patient on or after their symptom onset. All data were reported at death or after a minimum of 14 days from date of admission with COVID-19 disease. RESULTS: Among 9 pregnant women with severe COVID-19 disease, at the time of reporting, 7 of 9 died, 1 of 9 remains critically ill and ventilator dependent, and 1 of 9 recovered after prolonged hospitalization. We obtained self-verified familial/household cohort data in all 9 cases, and in each and every instance, maternal outcomes were more severe compared with outcomes of other high- and low-risk familial/household members (n=33 members for comparison). CONCLUSION: We report herein maternal deaths owing to COVID-19 disease. Until rigorously collected surveillance data emerge, it is prudent to be aware of the potential for maternal death among pregnant women diagnosed as having COVID-19 disease in their second or third trimester.