Researchers from the University of Miami have shown that, in two cases, the COVID-19 infection crossed the placenta and caused brain damage in the newborn.
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At birth, both infants tested negative for the virus, but had antibodies to COVID.
These antibodies were also present in significant quantities in the blood. One of two things: either the antibodies crossed the placenta, or the virus was transmitted and the baby had an immune response.
Both infants subsequently had epileptic seizures. Their skulls also had an abnormally small size. Developmental delays are also noticed.
One of them died at the age of 13 months.
On April 6, a study published in the journal Pediatrics examined the subject for the first time and confirmed that transplacental transmission of COVID-19 was the cause of brain damage in newborns.
“Many women are affected by COVID-19 during their pregnancy, but it was quite unusual to see these kinds of problems in their children at birth,” said Shahnaz Duara, professor of pediatrics at Miller School of Medicine. .
“We are trying to understand what made these two pregnancies different in order to direct research towards protecting vulnerable babies,” he added.