Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Maternal-fetal Medicine Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

4 Maternal-fetal Medicine Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

10.30476/whb.2024.101610.1268

Abstract

Background: No vertical transmission has been reported for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2); Yet, Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody was detected against SARS-CoV-2 amongst infants. The present study aimed to compare maternal IgG antibody concentration from infected SARS-CoV-2 mothers to newborns in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. As a secondary outcome, the interval between the onset of infection and delivery and COVID-19 severity were compared.
Methods: An observational cohort study was conducted on COVID-19 positive pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters in Fars province, Iran between 21 March and 22 October 2021. A questionnaire was completed to record background characteristics of the study participants. Real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction tests were taken from newborns immediately after birth to diagnose COVID-19. Maternal and cord blood specimen were taken to measure IgG concentrations; generalized linear models were used to report the crude and adjusted Rate Ratios with 95% confidence interval (cRR and aRR (95% C.I)), and IBM SPSS Statistics version 22 was used, at the significance level of 0.05.
Results: From 37 patients, 15 and 22 patients were in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. After adjusting on maternal age, Cord IgG concentration was positively associated with maternal IgG concentration and interval between the onset of infection and delivery in the 3rd trimester (aRR (95% CI); 2.86 (2.27-3.6) and 1.23 (1.01-1.51)); however, no association was observed with COVID-19 severity (aRR (95% CI); 0.88 (0.09-8.66)). A positive association was also seen between high levels of cord IgG and maternal IgG (≥1.1 U/mL) (aRR (95% CI); 2.31 (1.05-5.09)). No significant associations were seen in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy (P>0.05 for all).
Conclusions: In late pregnancy, Cord IgG concentration was positively associated with maternal IgG and interval between the onset of infection and delivery. Also, high levels of IgG antibody (≥1.1 U/mL) resulted in significantly higher level of cord IgG (≥1.1 U/mL).

Highlights

How to Cite: Kasraeian M, Zarekhafri M, Vafaei H, Gharesi-Fard B, Faraji A, Asadi N, Seraj A, Moradi Alamdarloo S, Bazrafshan K, Zare M. Comparison of Maternal IgG Antibody from Infected SARS-CoV-2 Mothers to Newborns in the 2nd and 3rd Trimesters: A Cohort Study. Women. Health. Bull. 2024;11(2):120-127. doi: 10.30476/WHB.2024.101610.1268.

Keywords

  1. Semati A, Zare M, Mirahmadizadeh A, Hemmati A, Hemmati A, Ebrahimi M. Epidemiological study of infection and death due to COVID-19 in Fars province, Iran, from February to September 2020. Iran J Med Sci. 2022;47(3):219-226. doi: 10.30476/IJMS.2021.90768.2174. PubMed PMID: 35634523; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9126892. ##
  2. Kasraeian M, Zare M, Vafaei H, Asadi N, Faraji A, Bazrafshan K, et al. COVID-19 pneumonia and pregnancy; a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2022;35(9):1652-1659. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1763952. PubMed PMID: 32429786. ##
  3. Mertz D, Geraci J, Winkup J, Gessner B D, Ortiz J R, Loeb M. Pregnancy as a risk factor for severe outcomes from influenza virus infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Vaccine. 2017;35(4):521-528. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.12.012. PubMed PMID: 28024955; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5359513. ##
  4. Dong L, Tian J, He S, Zhu C, Wang J, Liu C, et al. Possible vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from an infected mother to her newborn. JAMA. 2020;323(18):1846-1848. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.4621. PubMed PMID: 32215581; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7099527. ##
  5. Shek CC, Ng PC, Fung GPG, Cheng FWT, Chan PKS, Peiris MJS, et al. Infants born to mothers with severe acute respiratory syndrome. Pediatrics. 2003;112(4):e254. doi: 10.1542/peds.112.4.e254. PubMed PMID: 14523207. ##

 

  1. Wong SF, Chow KM, Leung TN, Ng WF, Ng TK, Shek CC, et al. Pregnancy and perinatal outcomes of women with severe acute respiratory syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004;191(1):292-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2003.11.019. PubMed PMID: 15295381; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7137614. ##
  2. Bwire GM, Njiro BJ, Mwakawanga DL, Sabas D, Sunguya BF. Possible vertical transmission and antibodies against SARS‐CoV‐2 among infants born to mothers with COVID‐19: A living systematic review. J Med Virol. 2021;93(3):1361-1369. doi: 10.1002/jmv.26622. PubMed PMID: 33090535. ##
  3. Albrecht M, Pagenkemper M, Wiessner C, Spohn M, Lütgehetmann M, Jacobsen H, et al. Infant immunity against viral infections is advanced by the placenta-dependent vertical transfer of maternal antibodies. Vaccine. 2022;40(11):1563-1571. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.12.049. PubMed PMID: 33431223. ##
  4. Alzamora M C, Paredes T, Caceres D, Webb C M, Valdez L M, La Rosa M. Severe COVID-19 during pregnancy and possible vertical transmission. Am J Perinatol. 2020;37(08):861-865. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1710050. PubMed PMID: 32305046; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7356080. ##
  5. Buonsenso D, Costa S, Sanguinetti M, Cattani P, Posteraro B, Marchetti S, et al. Neonatal late onset infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Am J Perinatol. 2020;37(8):869-872. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1710541. PubMed PMID: 32359227; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7356068. ##
  6. De Socio GV, Malincarne L, Arena S, Troiani S, Benedetti S, Camilloni B, et al. Delivery in asymptomatic Italian woman with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. 2020;12(1):e2020033. doi: 10.4084/MJHID.2020.033. PubMed PMID: 32395222; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7202334. ##
  7. Xiong X, Wei H, Zhang Z, Chang J, Ma X, Gao X, et al. Vaginal delivery report of a healthy neonate born to a convalescent mother with COVID‐19. J Med Virol. 2020;92(9):1657-1659. doi: 10.1002/jmv.25857. PubMed PMID: 32275072; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7262245. ##
  8. Lee DH, Lee J, Kim E, Woo K, Park HY, An J. Emergency cesarean section performed in a patient with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2 -a case report. Korean J Anesthesiol. 2020;73(4):347-351. doi: 10.4097/kja.20116. PubMed PMID: 32229802; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7403113. ##
  9. Flannery DD, Gouma S, Dhudasia MB, Mukhopadhyay S, Pfeifer MR, Woodford EC, et al. Assessment of maternal and neonatal cord blood SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and placental transfer ratios. JAMA Pediatr. 2021;175(6):594-600. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0038. PubMed PMID: 33512440; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7846944. ##
  10. Nir O, Schwartz A, Toussia-Cohen S, Leibovitch L, Strauss T, Asraf K, et al. Maternal-neonatal transfer of SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G antibodies among parturient women treated with BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2022;4(1):100492. doi: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2021.100492. PubMed PMID: 34547533; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8451978. ##
  11. Gill L, Jones CW. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in neonatal cord blood after vaccination in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2021;137(5):894-896. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004367. PubMed PMID: 33684922. ##
  12. Rottenstreich A, Zarbiv G, Oiknine-Djian E, Zigron R, Wolf D G, Porat S. Efficient Maternofetal Transplacental Transfer of Anti- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Spike Antibodies After Antenatal SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 Messenger RNA Vaccination. Clin Infect Dis. 2021;73(10):1909-1912. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab266. PubMed PMID: 33822014; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8083549. ##
  13. Munoz FM. Can We Protect Pregnant Women and Young Infants From COVID-19 Through Maternal Immunization? JAMA Pediatr. 2021;175(6):561-562. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0043. PubMed PMID: 33512398. ##
  14. Gee S, Chandiramani M, Seow J, Pollock E, Modestini C, Das A, et al. The legacy of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on the immunology of the neonate. Nat Immunol. 2021;22(12):1490-1502. doi: 10.1038/s41590-021-01049-2. PubMed PMID: 34616036. ##