SARS-CoV-2 infection during early pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage
Reviewed by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM. Posted on July 29th, 2022
Little is known about the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on pregnant women and the health of the fetus. A recent study found that women who got infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the first trimester of their pregnancy have a higher risk of miscarriage.
The prospective cohort study was conducted in the United Kingdom using self-report data from 3041 participants. Their pregnancy was conceived during the pandemic and with a current gestation age below 13 weeks. The rate of miscarriage is 14% higher in those who were infected with SARS-CoV-2. This is higher than the 8% rate of those who were not infected. After adjusting for confounding variables - age, BMI, ethnicity, smoking status, gestation age at registration and the number of previous miscarriages - there is a weak correlation between COVID-19 infection and early miscarriage (p = 0.06).
There is currently no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can cross the placental blood barrier to cause congenital infection. However, the cytokine produced in response to the infection might cross the placental brain barrier and interfere with the fetal development. Thus, obstetricians and gynecologists should advise their patients, who are pregnant or wish to conceive, to exercise caution.
The prospective cohort study was conducted in the United Kingdom using self-report data from 3041 participants. Their pregnancy was conceived during the pandemic and with a current gestation age below 13 weeks. The rate of miscarriage is 14% higher in those who were infected with SARS-CoV-2. This is higher than the 8% rate of those who were not infected. After adjusting for confounding variables - age, BMI, ethnicity, smoking status, gestation age at registration and the number of previous miscarriages - there is a weak correlation between COVID-19 infection and early miscarriage (p = 0.06).
There is currently no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can cross the placental blood barrier to cause congenital infection. However, the cytokine produced in response to the infection might cross the placental brain barrier and interfere with the fetal development. Thus, obstetricians and gynecologists should advise their patients, who are pregnant or wish to conceive, to exercise caution.