SARS-CoV-2 Seroconversion and Pregnancy Outcomes in a Population of Pregnant Women Recruited in Milan, Italy, between April 2020 and October 2020

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 13;19(24):16720. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416720.

Abstract

The possible link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and adverse pregnancy outcomes has so far demonstrated heterogeneous results in terms of maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications. We aim to investigate the correlation between SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion and/or neutralization titer and pregnancy outcomes. We analyzed a population of 528 pregnant women followed up from the first trimester of gestation until delivery. For each woman, we collected a first blood sample between 11 and 13 weeks of gestation and a second sample in the perinatal period (between peripartum and puerperium) to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and/or microneutralization titer (MN titer). Data on pregnancy outcomes (gestational age at delivery, preterm birth before 34 weeks, hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, and abnormal fetal growth) were collected. We observed that serologic status per se is not associated with major pregnancy complications. On the contrary, the MN titer was associated with increased odds of gestational diabetes. Although we mainly reported asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and the absence of severe maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes, SARS-CoV-2 infection might challenge the maternal immune system and explain the moderate increase in adverse outcome odds.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; abnormal fetal growth; antibodies; gestational diabetes; neutralization titer; pregnancy outcomes; preterm birth hypertensive disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Diabetes, Gestational* / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Outcome / epidemiology
  • Pregnant Women
  • Premature Birth* / epidemiology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Seroconversion

Grants and funding

This study was funded by Italian Ministry of Health—“Ricerca Corrente” IRCCS and by 5X1000 founds.