Infants' General Movements Were Not Affected by Exposure to Maternal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infections

Abstract

Aim: Prenatal maternal infections may impair infant brain development. This study investigated the effect of maternal infections with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy on infant neurodevelopment by assessing general movements (GMs). Methods: Infants were recruited for this multicenter prospective cohort study from LMU University Hospital sites in Munich after birth or during routine visits. GMs were recorded and assessed between 1 July 2022 and 31 January 2023, using the Hadders-Algra method. Odds ratios for abnormal GMs were calculated for infants with parent-reported prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure compared to unexposed controls. Specific GM subgroups were analysed at preterm, writhing, and fidgety ages. Results: The study comprised 114 exposed infants (55.3% male) and 92 controls (54.3% male). There were no significant differences between the groups at birth. Two of the mothers were infected twice and one of them required hospitalisation. GMs were assessed at a mean corrected age (CA) of 4 weeks. The odds ratios showed no significant differences in GM quality between exposed infants and controls in either the total group or the subgroups. Conclusion: Prenatal exposure to SARS-CoV-2 did not affect early neurodevelopment, which was determined by GM quality. Further studies should include long-term outcomes. Trial Registration: The study was registered at the German Clinical Trial Register (ID: DRKS00029247; https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00029247).