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. 2023 Apr;27(4):737-746.
doi: 10.1007/s10995-022-03553-9. Epub 2023 Jan 21.

Impact of the Presence Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA in the Colostrum of Women Infected by COVID-19 During the Pregnancy in Neonatal Clinical Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Letícia Veríssimo Dutra  1 , Mariliza Henrique Silva  2 , Cibele Wolf Lebrão  1   2 , Fernando Luiz Affonso-Fonseca  1   3   4   5 , Fabíola Isabel Suano-Souza  6   7   8   9
Affiliations

Impact of the Presence Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA in the Colostrum of Women Infected by COVID-19 During the Pregnancy in Neonatal Clinical Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Letícia Veríssimo Dutra et al. Matern Child Health J. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA and IgG in the blood and colostrum of women with COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and associate the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA in colostrum with clinical symptoms of their newborns.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was developed with 165 participants with COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and their newborns.

Data collected: characteristics COVID-19 infection in pregnant women, gestational age, and clinical symptoms in their newborns (fever, hypothermia, respiratory distress, hypotonia, hypoactivity, hypoglycemia, cyanosis, vomiting/regurgitation, abdominal distention, and jaundice). Maternal blood and colostrum samples were collected postpartum to to detect the presence of IgA and IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2.

Results: The median interval between COVID-19 diagnosis and delivery was 37.5 days (IQ = 12.0, 73.0 days). Clinical symptoms during hospitalization were observed in 55 newborns (33.3%), and two (1.6%) tested RT-PCR positive for COVID-19. Positive colostrum for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA was found in 117 (70.9%) women. The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA in colostrum was associated independently with lower clinical symptoms in their newborns (OR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.202 to 0.84; p = 0.015).

Conclusions for practice: The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA in colostrum was detected in more than two-thirds of the women evaluated and was associated with a lower frequency of clinical symptoms in their newborns.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; COVID-19; Human milk; Pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Diagram of inclusion of women eligible to participate in the survey
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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