Babies infected with COVID in utero show neur

According to the preliminary analysis presented in 30, babies born to mothers with COVID-19 disease during pregnancy appear to show different results in neurodevelopmental development in 6 weeks.^th European Conference on Psychiatry.

Project leader Dr. Rosa Ayesa Arriola said:Not all babies born to COVID-infected mothers show differences in neurodevelopment, but our data show that they are at higher risk than babies not infected with COVID in utero. increase.Greater research is needed to see the exact range of differences“.

Researchers have found that babies born to infected mothers are more relaxed and acclimatized when hugged than infants of uninfected mothers, especially if the infection occurs late in pregnancy. I found it very difficult. In addition, babies born to infected mothers tend to have more difficulty controlling head and shoulder movements. These changes suggest a possible effect of COVID-19 on motor function (motor control).

The results were obtained from an initial evaluation of the COGEST COV-19 project in Spain and traced the pregnancy and development process of mothers infected with COVID-19. Researchers are presenting data on 6-week-old pregnancies and postnatal assessments, but the project will continue to see if there are longer-term implications. This group monitors language and motor development in 18-42 month old babies.

The first assessment compared 21 COVID-positive pregnant women and babies born to them with 21 healthy controls attending the Marques de Valdesila University Hospital in Santander, Spain. The mother underwent a series of tests during and after pregnancy. These included hormone and other biochemical tests (measurements of cortisol levels, immunological responses, etc.), saliva tests, motor responses, and psychological questionnaires. All analyzes were tailored to the baby’s age, gender, and other factors.

Postnatal tests included the Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS), which measures baby movement and behavior.

Researcher Ms. Águeda Castro Quintas, Center for Biomedical Research, Mental Health, University of Barcelona, ​​said:

“”It was found that certain elements of NBAS measurements changed in 6-week-old infants exposed to the SARS-COV-2 virus. In fact, when you are hugged or hugged, the reaction is a little different.“.

We were particularly sensitive to how these tests were performed. Each mother and baby was scrutinized by a specialist-trained clinician in the field and on tests.

It should be noted that these are tentative results, but this is part of a project that follows a larger sample of 100 mothers and their babies. They were also monitored during pregnancy and after childbirth. We will also compare these mothers and babies with data from another similar project (epiproject) that examines the effects of stress and genetics on a child’s neurodevelopment.“.

Agueda Castroquintus continued:

“”This is an ongoing project and we are in the early stages. Babies whose mothers were exposed to COVID were found to have neurological effects at 6 weeks, but it is not known if these effects cause long-term problems. Long-term observations may help to understand this.

Collaborator Nerea San Martín González added:

“Of course, for very young babies, there are some things we can’t measure, such as language skills and cognition. Also, we need to be aware that this is a relatively small sample, so we repeat the process. We will follow up on this for a longer period of time. Larger samples are needed to determine the role of infection and the contribution of other environmental factors to changes in offspring neural development. In the meantime, the importance of medical monitoring to promote a healthy pregnancy should be emphasized and concerns should be discussed with the doctor as necessary. ”

In a comment, project leader Dr Rosa Ayesa Arriola said:

“This is a great opportunity to establish an international partnership that will enable us to assess the long-term neurodevelopment of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is essential to understand and prevent the neurological problems and mental health vulnerabilities that can occur in these children over the years. “

In an independent comment, Dr Livio Provenzi (University of Pavia, Italy) said:

“We need to study the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of parents and infants. Pregnancy is the period of life that shapes much of our subsequent development and is during pregnancy. Exposure to adversity can leave a long-term biological footprint. These findings from Dr. Rosa Ayesa Arriola’s group are epi-infants born to mothers exposed to pandemic-related stress during pregnancy. Reinforces evidence of genetic change. This is a larger international study to understand the impact of this health emergency on development and to provide better quality of care to parents and babies. Indicates that is required.

Dr. Provenzi was not involved in this work.

Note: The Epi Project is a multi-institutional project that includes the Clinic Hospital in Barcelona and the Asturias Central Hospital. Investigate the effects of genetics and stress on baby outcomes. It is led by Dr. Lourdes Fanyanas.

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