Management and short-term outcomes of neonates born to mothers with active perinatal SARS-CoV-2 infection

Vineet Lamba; Joan Lien; Jay Desai; Ajay J Talati

doi:10.1186/s12887-021-02872-0

Management and short-term outcomes of neonates born to mothers with active perinatal SARS-CoV-2 infection

BMC Pediatr. 2021 Sep 13;21(1):400. doi: 10.1186/s12887-021-02872-0.

Authors

Vineet Lamba^#¹, Joan Lien^#², Jay Desai³, Ajay J Talati³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA. vlamba1@uthsc.edu.
² Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
³ Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Objective: We report here on the management and outcomes of neonates born to mothers with active perinatal SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Study design: In this prospective study, eligible neonates were enrolled in a database to track in-hospital outcomes and followed up outpatient periodically till 2 months of age to assess for late onset symptoms of infection.

Results: From April 2020 to February 2021, 67 mothers with perinatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and 70 at-risk neonates were included. Two neonates (3%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 within 48 h of life but remained asymptomatic during hospitalization and at all follow-up periods. Three infants were reported to have a febrile illness in 2 months follow up period, none of which was attributable to SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusion: Our data supports the emerging evidence which describes a probable low risk of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We also demonstrate a low risk of post-natal transmission or late-onset symptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2.

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Mothers
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / diagnosis
Prospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2