COVID-19 during Pregnancy: Clinical and In Vitro Evidence against Placenta Infection at Term by SARS-CoV-2

Despite occasional reports of SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission during pregnancy, the question of placental infection and its consequences for the newborn remain questionable. Here, we analyzed the placentas of 31 COVID-19-positive mothers by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. We only detected one case of placental infection, which was associated with intrauterine demise of the fetus. We then isolated and differentiated primary trophoblasts from non-pathological human placentas at term, and exposed them to SARS-CoV-2 virions.

Source: American Journal of Pathology - June 7, 2021 Category: Pathology Authors: Arthur Colson, Christophe L. Depoix, G éraldine Dessilly, Pamela Baldin, Olivier Danhaive, Corinne Hubinont, Pierre Sonveaux, Frédéric Debiève Source Type: research