COVID-19 seems to attack the placenta of pregnant women

Pregnant women should pay particular attention to the coronavirus pandemic. New research It has been shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) attacks the placenta.

Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago sought to identify histopathological findings in women with COVID-19 during pregnancy. They found that the placenta of women infected with severe SARS-CoV-2 had a higher incidence of placental damage.

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Placenta injury

Published in American Journal of Clinical Pathology, The study revealed evidence of poor blood flow from the mother to the fetus and thrombus formation in the placenta.

“Most of these babies gave birth after a normal pregnancy, so we can’t expect to find placental abnormalities, but the virus seems to cause some damage to the placenta,” said Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein. In a statement, he was a pathologist at Northwestern University.

The placenta is a flat, round organ in the uterus of pregnant women that nourishes and maintains the fetus through the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord acts as the primary link from the fetus to the placenta. The placenta provides oxygen and nutrients through the umbilical cord. At the same time, it removes waste products from the baby’s blood.

Effects on pregnancy

This study provides a glimpse of how the coronavirus can make changes in the placenta. In addition, it shows the potential impact of a pandemic on the health of both mothers and babies.

The study included 16 pregnant women with COVID-19 who gave birth between March 18 and May 5. One of these women suffered stillbirth or the death of an intrauterine fetus, where the baby died in utero.

The researchers found that the third trimester placenta in women with COVID-19 was significantly more likely to exhibit at least one characteristic of maternal vascular abnormal perfusion (MVM). This condition has pathological features such as decreased placenta size, postplacental hemorrhage, abnormal placental villi, and multifocal infarction.

The placenta of COVID-19 pregnant women also showed injured maternal blood vessels and intervillous thrombus. The placenta of a patient with intrauterine fetal death showed chorionic edema and posterior placenta hematoma.

Enhanced surveillance

Pregnant women should be included in patients at high risk for COVID-19. The results of this study demonstrate the effects of viral infections on pregnant women. Since placental injury is a complication of COVID-19, enhanced prenatal monitoring and monitoring of pregnant women is essential.

“These findings provide mechanistic insights into the observed epidemiological association between COVID-19 during pregnancy and adverse perinatal outcomes. Taken together, these findings sum up SARS- It suggests that increased prenatal surveillance in women diagnosed with CoV-2 may be justified, “the researchers write. paper.

Researchers argued that changes should be made in how pregnant women are being monitored today.

“ I don’t want to draw a drastic conclusion from a small study, but this preliminary glimpse of how COVID-19 causes placental changes has a significant impact on pregnancy health. “The assistant, Dr. Emily Miller, said a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Fineburg School of Medicine.

“ We need to discuss if we need to change how we monitor pregnant women right now, ” Miller said, testing placenta oxygen supply during pregnancy and tracking baby growth with ultrasound. That said there is a possibility.

Related research

Related research published by Swedish Public Health Service Brief reports show that pregnant and postpartum women with COVID-19 are at increased risk of requiring intensive care compared to non-pregnant women. The paper states: “Pregnant women need to be cautious in light of the potentially serious consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infections, and women with additional risk factors such as overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes m Precautions should be taken. “

Tolls around the world

Coronavirus disease has since spread to 188 countries and territories, affecting more than 5.49 million people worldwide. Since the advent of the pandemic, more than 346,000 people have died. The United States has the highest number of people infected, with more than 1.66 million infected and more than 98,000 dead.

Brazil has reported a surge in case numbers and is currently ranked second with the highest number of confirmed cases. The country reports more than 374,000 cases and more than 23,000 deaths. Russia has more than 353,000 patients, but the death toll is reported to be 3,633.