SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy and possible transfer of immunity: assessment of peripartal maternal and neonatal antibody levels and a longitudinal follow-up.
OBJECTIVES
In the current Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic there is still great uncertainty about the effects of an infection in pregnancy especially regarding a possible fetal transmission of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and the longevity of this immunity.


METHODS
Sixteen women who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and their offspring were included. The antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 was measured in mother and umbilical cord blood peripartum and in a follow-up examination 6-11 weeks after birth. Medical history, symptoms regarding SARS-CoV-2, obstetric and neonatal information were queried following recommendations by the WHO.


RESULTS
A total of 73% of the women and one third of the infants developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein receptor binding domain (RBD), with a long interval between infection and birth proving favorable for a transplacentar transfer of antibodies to the neonates. All infants showed declining or vanishing antibody-titers in the follow-up examination, while the titers of their mothers were stable or even increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that transplacental transfer of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies is possible, but also indicate that the immunity that may be gained as a result might decrease in newborns postpartum. This provides important evidence that could be useful for further studies covering vaccination during pregnancy.
['Rathberger|Katharina|K|', 'Häusler|Sebastian|S|', 'Wellmann|Sven|S|', 'Weigl|Marco|M|', 'Langhammer|Florian|F|', 'Bazzano|Maria Victoria|MV|', 'Ambrosch|Andreas|A|', 'Fill Malfertheiner|Sara|S|']
D000917:Antibody Formation D000086382:COVID-19 D005260:Female D005500:Follow-Up Studies D006801:Humans D007231:Infant, Newborn D011247:Pregnancy D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious D011446:Prospective Studies D000086402:SARS-CoV-2 D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
SARS-CoV-2 pregnancy immunity IgA IgG peripartum period screening