[Science Update] Neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants and maternal SARS-CoV-2 infections

3 min read /
General Nutrition Paediatrics Public health
mother-newborn

The global spread of COVID-19 has affected pregnant women increasingly. To evaluate the neurodevelopmental outcomes of newborns delivered to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy, a prospective cohort study was conducted in Kuwait. The neurodevelopmental status of 298 infants at 10-12 months post-discharge was assessed by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3).

Definition of neurodevelopment status

  • Developmental delays: having a cutoff score for 1 or more domains of ≤ 2 standard deviations (SDs) below the population mean
  • No delays: having a cutoff score > 2 SDs above the population mean
     

Results

Clinical characteristics

  • 1.7 % (5 out of 298) infants were born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections during the 1st trimester
  • 6.7% (20 out of 298) infants were born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections during the 2nd trimester
  • 91.6% (273 out of 298) infants were born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections during the 3rd trimester
     

Neurodevelopmental outcomes

  • 10.1% (30 out of 298) infants were identified as having developmental delays
    • 3.3% (1 out of 30) experienced delays in the communication domain
    • 10% (3 out of 30) experienced delays in the problem-solving domain
    • 27% (8 out of 30) experienced delays in the gross motor domain
    • 30% (9 out of 30) experienced delays in the personal-social domain
    • 40% (12 out of 30) experienced delays in the fine motor domain
  • The occurrence of developmental delays differed significantly in terms of the trimester of infection, when compared to those with no delays
    • More common in infants born to mothers who were infected during the 1st and 2nd trimesters than those during the 3rd trimester (p < 0.001)
    • 13.3% (4 out of 30) infants were born to mothers who were infected during the 1st trimester
    • 20% (6 out of 30) infants were born to mothers who were infected during the 2nd trimester
    • 66.7% (20 out of 30) infants were born to mothers who were infected during the 3rd trimester
  • Higher risk of developmental delays was associated with 1st trimester maternal SARS-CoV-2 infections (aOR: 8.2, 95% CI: 1.1-55.9; p = 0.039) and 2nd trimester infections (aOR: 8.1, 95% CI: 2.4-27.7; p = 0.001) when compared to 3rd trimester infections
  • Developmental delays were more common in infants delivered at < 31 weeks' gestation (aOR: 7.7, 95% CI: 1.4-45.8; p = 0.032)
     

Link to the full article:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9149327/pdf/12887_2022_Article_3359.pdf
 

Reference:

Ayed M et al. Neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy: a national prospective study in Kuwait. BMC Pediatr. 2022;22(1):319.
 

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WYE-EM-092-JUL-22