Effect of COVID-19 infection on pregnancy and the possibility of vertical transmission from infected pregnant mothers to fetuses

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 19 has been predominant in China then transmitted to different countries. The study aimed to evaluate the recent evidences from published papers of potential risks of COVID-19 contagion through gestation and if vertical transmission is possible?. We reviewed several studies on the effect of COVID-19 through pregnancy by using published articles up to June, 2021. Infection with COVID-19 during pregnancy may increase risk of pregnancy problems such as preterm birth and PPROM in few cases, but other researchers establish no COVID-19 contagion was revealed in neonates. Vertical transmission of COVID-19 is feasible, and happens in a small percentage of infected mothers, but other researchers demonstrated no vertical transmission of COVID-19. According to the narrow data, there is no enough evidence for congenital defects to fetuses of infected mother and no sure for vertical transmission. More research must be done to prove the effect of COVID-19 on the fetuses and vertical transmission.