Two cases of SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers and their newborns in Korea

Abstract

It is unclear how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects pregnant women and their fetuses or newborns. We report two infants born to mothers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Korea. The first case was a healthy female baby born at 39+3 weeks' gestation from a mother diagnosed with COVID-19. The second case was a female baby born at 38+0 weeks' gestation. The newborn in the second case had symptoms of respiratory distress immediately after birth, and nasal continuous positive airway pressure support was applied for 8 hours. Real-time polymerase chain reaction test results for SARS-CoV-2 using amniotic fluid, neonatal nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, blood, urine, stool, and rectal swab were all negative in the 1st and 2nd days of life in both cases. Placental pathology showed acute necrotizing deciduitis and intervillous fibrin deposition with acute intervillositis. Although clinical evidence of vertical transmission was not found in our cases, with the possibility of placental inflammation, close monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers and their newborn is required.