Current State of Knowledge about Transplacental Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Atiyeh  Javaheri; Mahmood   Noorishadkam; Mahta   Mazaheri; Ali  Dadbinpour; Seyed Alireza Dastgheib; Reza Bahrami; Mojgan  Karimi-Zarchi; Fatemeh   Asadian; Hossein  Neamatzadeh

doi:10.18502/wjpn.v3i2.6154

Atiyeh Javaheri Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mahmood Noorishadkam Mother and Newborn Health Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mahta Mazaheri Mother and Newborn Health Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Ali Dadbinpour Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Seyed Alireza Dastgheib Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Reza Bahrami Neonatal Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Mojgan Karimi-Zarchi Endometriosis Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Asadian Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical Science, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Hossein Neamatzadeh Mother and Newborn Health Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/wjpn.v3i2.6154

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS‐CoV‐2; Placenta; Intrauterine Transmission; Transplacental Transmission; Neonates

Abstract

Background: To date, some cases of perinatal transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) have been reported. However, it is unanswered if these occurred via the trans-placental or the trans-cervical route or through environmental exposure.

Methods: To address this question, we conducted this study to review the current state of knowledge about the transplacental transmission of COVID-19.

Results: There are no known placental findings associated with the COVID-19 infection. The possibility of intrauterine infection has been based mainly on the detection of IgM in the neonatal blood. Real time-PCR tests on amniotic fluid, placenta, and cord blood are required to ascertain the possibility of intrauterine vertical transmission.

Conclusion: There is currently no sufficient and convincing evidence about the transplacental transmission of SARS-COV-2 infection in pregnant mothers. However, the paucity of placental expression of ACE-2 involved in the cytoplasmic entry of SARS-CoV-2 may explain its relative insensitivity to transplacental infection.