Review: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in placental and fetal membrane samples

Review: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in placental and fetal membrane samples

This is a brief case series study on the placental/membrane SARS-CoV2 RNA PCR swab results of 11 symptomatic mothers with confirmed COVID-19 infection in pregnancy; only 3 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

  • All charts pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 who gave birth between March 1 and April 20, 2020 at NYU Langone Health were considered
  • Inclusion criteria required documentation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA RT-PCR testing sent from either the placenta or membranes within 30 minutes following delivery
  • 32 women with COVID-19 delivered during this time, only 11 met criteria for inclusion
  • For the 3 positive samples, all were from women with moderate to severe COVID-19 illness at time of delivery
  • None of the infants testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 on days of life 1-5 and none demonstrated COVID-19 symptoms
  • Limitations: Only brief report with limited details, including which infants were born via vaginal delivery vs Cesarean section. Infants only tracked for first 5 days of life

 

|2020-05-13T08:49:07-04:00May 12th, 2020|COVID-19 Literature|Comments Off on Review: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in placental and fetal membrane samples

About the Author: Megan McHenry

Megan McHenry
Megan S. McHenry, MD, MS, FAAP is a pediatrician and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Disease and Global Health at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. McHenry's research focuses on early childhood development in children living in resource-limited settings. This work is frequently aligned with community-engaged research and dissemination and implementation science frameworks. She primarily conducts research in collaboration with the Academic Model for Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Research Network in Kenya. Dr. McHenry currently has a career development award through the National Institutes of Health to develop a neurodevelopmental screening program for children born to HIV-infected mothers in Kenya. Dr. McHenry is also the Director of Pediatric Global Health Education and a co-Director of the Morris Green Physician-Scientist Development Program at Indiana University School of Medicine. In additional to global health lectures, she also educates residents and students on early childhood development, basic biostatistical techniques, research methodologies, and research ethics. She mentors multiple pediatric fellows, residents, and medical students interested in early childhood development within global contexts.

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