Mothers positive for Covid-19 can transmit the virus to their unborn children, according to researchers. Mothers positive for Covid-19 can be transmitted
Mothers positive for Covid-19 can transmit the virus to their unborn children, according to researchers.
Mothers who test positive for Covid-19 can pass the virus on to their unborn children, according to “strong evidence” presented Thursday by researchers whose work could impact the protection of pregnant women during the pandemic.
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Although there are isolated cases of babies infected with the new coronavirus, these results show the strongest link to date with mother-to-child transmission. Researchers studied 31 infected pregnant women hospitalized and found the virus in the placenta at term, the umbilical cord, the woman’s vagina and in breast milk.
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They also identified specific antibodies to Covid-19 in the umbilical cord of several women, as well as in milk samples. Claudio Fenizia, from the University of Milan and senior author of the study, said the results “strongly suggest” that in-utero transmission is possible.
“It is too early for a clear assessment of possible consequences”
“Given the number of infected people in the world, the number of women likely to be affected by this phenomenon could potentially be very high,” he explained. None of the newborns born during the study period tested positive for Covid-19, the researcher pointed out.
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“Although in-utero transmission seems possible, it is too early to clearly assess the risk and possible consequences,” he said. The World Health Organization (WHO) said last month that mothers infected with the new coronavirus should continue breastfeeding.
“We know that children are at relatively low risk of Covid-19, but they are at high risk of many other diseases and conditions that breastfeeding prevents,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Among other findings, the team identified a specific inflammatory response triggered by Covid-19 in these women’s placental and umbilical cord blood plasma.
Third trimester
All of the women tested were in their third trimester of pregnancy, the researcher said, adding that more research is underway among women who test positive for Covid-19 in early pregnancy.
“Our study aims to raise awareness and invite the scientific community to consider pregnancy in HIV-positive women as a topic that urgently needs to be characterized and further dissected,” announced Pr Fenizia. “I believe that the promotion of the prevention committee is the safest thing that we can give these patients now”.
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“COVID-19”, the new coronavirus
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The study was published at the 23rd International AIDS Conference, which was held this week, online for the first time due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Updated date: July 9, 2020, 2:58 p.m
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: newstars.edu.vn