The DOI matches its Crossref record; 58 of the 60 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission during pregnancy
Open accessPublished version of a preprint
Abstract
The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection during gestation remains unclear. Here, we analyse the viral genome on maternal and newborns nasopharyngeal swabs, vaginal swabs, maternal and umbilical cord plasma, placenta and umbilical cord biopsies, amniotic fluids and milk from 31 mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, we also test specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and expression of genes involved in inflammatory responses in placentas, and in maternal and umbilical cord plasma. We detect SARS-CoV-2 genome in one umbilical cord blood and in two at-term placentas, in one vaginal mucosa and in one milk specimen. Furthermore, we report the presence of specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies in one umbilical cord blood and in one milk specimen. Finally, in the three documented cases of vertical transmission, SARS-CoV-2 infection was accompanied by a strong inflammatory response. Together, these data support the hypothesis that in utero SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission, while low, is possible. These results might help defining proper obstetric management of COVID-19 pregnant women, or putative indications for mode and timing of delivery.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Figures
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Rare in utero transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has also been reported222,223; its implications on maternal, fetal and neonatal health are under active investigation.”
From mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases: principles, delivery and clinical translation (2021) · cites this paper as [223]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China
Huang, C., Wang, Y., Li, X., Ren, L., Zhao, J., Hu, Y., Zhang, L., Fan, G., Xu, J., Gu, X., et al. (2020) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30183-5 · Cited by 48,884
An interactive web-based dashboard to track COVID-19 in real time
Dong, E., Du, H., & Gardner, L. (2020) · The Lancet Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1016/s1473-3099(20)30120-1 · Cited by 10,048
Grasselli, G., Zangrillo, A., Zanella, A., Antonelli, M., Cabrini, L., Castelli, A., Cereda, D., Coluccello, A., Foti, G., Fumagalli, R., et al. (2020) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.2020.5394 · Cited by 5,469
Dysregulation of Immune Response in Patients With Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China
Qin, C., Zhou, L., Hu, Z., Zhang, S., Yang, S., Tao, Y., Xie, C., Ma, K., Shang, K., Wang, W., et al. (2020) · Clinical Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa248 · Cited by 4,775
The trinity of COVID-19: immunity, inflammation and intervention
Tay, M. Z., Poh, C. M., Rénia, L., MacAry, P. A., & Ng, L. F. P. (2020) · Nature Reviews Immunology · doi:10.1038/s41577-020-0311-8 · Cited by 4,360
Chen, H., Guo, J., Wang, C., Luo, F., Yu, X. B., Zhang, W., Li, J., Zhao, D., Xu, D., Gong, Q., et al. (2020) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30360-3 · Cited by 4,029
Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19
Long, Q.-X., Liu, B.-Z., Deng, H.-J., Wu, G.-C., Deng, K., Chen, Y.-K., Liao, P., Qiu, J.-F., Lin, Y., Cai, X.-F., et al. (2020) · Nature Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41591-020-0897-1 · Cited by 2,876
Clinical analysis of 10 neonates born to mothers with 2019-nCoV pneumonia
Zhu, H., Wang, L., Fang, C., Peng, S., Zhang, L., Gui-ping, C., Xia, S., & Zhou, W. (2020) · Translational Pediatrics · doi:10.21037/tp.2020.02.06 · Cited by 1,475
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pregnancy: what obstetricians need to know
Rasmussen, S. A., Smulian, J. C., Lednicky, J. A., Wen, T. S.-T., & Jamieson, D. J. (2020) · American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.02.017 · Cited by 1,306
Pathogenic T-cells and inflammatory monocytes incite inflammatory storms in severe COVID-19 patients
Zhou, Y., Fu, B., Zheng, X., Wang, D., Zhao, C., Qi, Y., Sun, R., Tian, Z., Xu, X., & Wei, H. (2020) · National Science Review · doi:10.1093/nsr/nwaa041 · Cited by 1,295
Possible Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 From an Infected Mother to Her Newborn
Dong, L., Tian, J., He, S., Zhu, C., Wang, J., Liu, C., & Yang, J. (2020) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.2020.4621 · Cited by 1,238
Transplacental transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Vivanti, A. J., Vauloup‐Fellous, C., Prevot, S., Zupan, V., Suffee, C., Cao, J. D., Benachi, A., & Luca, D. D. (2020) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17436-6 · Cited by 1,117
Pregnancy and perinatal outcomes of women with severe acute respiratory syndrome
Wong, S. F., Chow, K. M., Leung, T. N., Ng, W. F., Ng, T. K., Shek, C. C., Ng, P. C., Lam, P. W. Y., Ho, L. C., To, W. W. K., et al. (2004) · American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2003.11.019 · Cited by 1,050
Zeng, L., Xia, S., Yuan, W., Yan, K., Xiao, F., Shao, J., & Zhou, W. (2020) · Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine · doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0878 · Cited by 1,032
Fu, Y., Cheng, Y., & Wu, Y. (2020) · Virologica Sinica · doi:10.1007/s12250-020-00207-4 · Cited by 811
Antibodies in Infants Born to Mothers With COVID-19 Pneumonia
Zeng, H., Chen, X., Fan, J., Tang, Y., Deng, Q., Zhang, W., & Long, X. (2020) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.2020.4861 · Cited by 804
Kim, C. J., Romero, R. J., Chaemsaithong, P., & Kim, J.-S. (2015) · American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2015.08.041 · Cited by 530
SARS–CoV-2 infection of the placenta
Hosier, H., Farhadian, S., Morotti, R. A., Deshmukh, U. S., Lu-Culligan, A., Campbell, K. H., Yasumoto, Y., Vogels, C. B. F., Casanovas‐Massana, A., Vijayakumar, P., et al. (2020) · Journal of Clinical Investigation · doi:10.1172/jci139569 · Cited by 513
A Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in a Pregnant Woman With Preterm Delivery
Wang, X., Zhou, Z., Zhang, J., Zhu, F., Tang, Y., & Shen, X. (2020) · Clinical Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa200 · Cited by 451
Second-Trimester Miscarriage in a Pregnant Woman With SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Baud, D., Greub, G., Favre, G., Gengler, C., Jaton, K., Dubruc, E., & Pomar, L. (2020) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.2020.7233 · Cited by 437
Li, M., Chen, L., Zhang, J., Xiong, C., & Li, X. (2020) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230295 · Cited by 407
Alfaraj, S. H., Al‐Tawfiq, J. A., & Memish, Z. A. (2018) · Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection · doi:10.1016/j.jmii.2018.04.005 · Cited by 388
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in human breastmilk
Groß, R. M., Conzelmann, C., Müller, J. A., Stenger, S., Steinhart, K., Kirchhoff, F., & Münch, J. (2020) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(20)31181-8 · Cited by 376
Fan, C., Di, L., Fang, C., Li, C., Wang, M., Liu, Y., Bao, Y., Sun, Y., Huang, J., Guo, Y., et al. (2020) · Clinical Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa226 · Cited by 374
Khalil, A. A., Kalafat, E., Benlioglu, C., O’Brien, P., Morris, E., Draycott, T. J., Thangaratinam, S., Doaré, K. L., Heath, P. T., Ladhani, S. N., et al. (2020) · EClinicalMedicine · doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100446 · Cited by 368
Vaginal delivery in SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected pregnant women in Northern Italy: a retrospective analysis
Ferrazzi, E. M., Frigerio, L., Savasi, V. M., Vergani, P., Prefumo, F., Barresi, S. M., Bianchi, S., Ciriello, E., Facchinetti, F., Gervasi, M. T., et al. (2020) · BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology · doi:10.1111/1471-0528.16278 · Cited by 334
Self-citationKirtsman, M., Diambomba, Y., Poutanen, S. M., Malinowski, A. K., Vlachodimitropoulou, E., Parks, W. T., Erdman, L. K., Morris, S. K., & Shah, P. S. (2020) · Canadian Medical Association Journal · doi:10.1503/cmaj.200821 · Cited by 334
[Analysis of the pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with COVID-19 in Hubei Province].
Zhang, L., Jiang, Y., Wei, M., Cheng, B. H., Zhou, X. C., Li, J., Tian, J. H., Dong, L., & Hu, R. H. (2020) · PubMed · doi:10.3760/cma.j.cn112141-20200218-00111 · Cited by 324
Patanè, L., Morotti, D., Giunta, M. R., Sigismondi, C., Piccoli, M. G., Frigerio, L., Mangili, G., Arosio, M. E. G., & Cornolti, G. (2020) · American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM · doi:10.1016/j.ajogmf.2020.100145 · Cited by 311
Distribution of Angiotensin-(1-7) and ACE2 in Human Placentas of Normal and Pathological Pregnancies
Valdés, G., Neves, L. A. A., Anton, L., Corthorn, J. L., Chacón, C., Germaín, A., Merrill, D., Ferrario, C. M., Sarao, R., Penninger, J. M., et al. (2005) · Placenta · doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2005.02.015 · Cited by 256
Can SARS-CoV-2 Infection Be Acquired In Utero?
Kimberlin, D. W., & Stagno, S. (2020) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.2020.4868 · Cited by 230
Algarroba, G. N., Rekawek, P., Vahanian, S. A., Khullar, P., Palaia, T. A., Peltier, M. R., Chavez, M. R., & Vintzileos, A. M. (2020) · American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.05.023 · Cited by 230
Shah, P. S., Diambomba, Y., Acharya, G., Morris, S. K., & Bitnun, A. (2020) · Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/aogs.13870 · Cited by 225
Savasi, V. M., Parisi, F., Patanè, L., Ferrazzi, E. M., Frigerio, L., Pellegrino, A., Spinillo, A., Tateo, S., Ottoboni, M., Veronese, P., et al. (2020) · Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1097/aog.0000000000003979 · Cited by 189
Self-citationUnlikely SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission from mother to child: A case report
Peng, Z., Wang, J., Mo, Y., Duan, W., Xiang, G., Yi, M., Bao, L., & Shi, Y. (2020) · Journal of Infection and Public Health · doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2020.04.004 · Cited by 183
Intrauterine Transmission of SARS-COV-2 Infection in a Preterm Infant
Sisman, J., Jaleel, M. A., Moreno, W., Rajaram, V., Collins, R. R. J., Savani, R. C., Rakheja, D., & Evans, A. S. (2020) · The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal · doi:10.1097/inf.0000000000002815 · Cited by 171
Infantino, M. G., Grossi, V., Lari, B., Bambi, R., Perri, A., Manneschi, M., Terenzi, G., Liotti, I., Ciotta, G., Taddei, C., et al. (2020) · Journal of Medical Virology · doi:10.1002/jmv.25932 · Cited by 148
Smithgall, M. C., Liu‐Jarin, X., Hamele‐Bena, D., Cimic, A., Mourad, M., Debelenko, L. V., & Chen, X. (2020) · Histopathology · doi:10.1111/his.14215 · Cited by 144
Evidence and possible mechanisms of rare maternal-fetal transmission of SARS-CoV-2
Egloff, C., Vauloup‐Fellous, C., Picone, O., Mandelbrot, L., & Roques, P. (2020) · Journal of Clinical Virology · doi:10.1016/j.jcv.2020.104447 · Cited by 127
Hu, X., Gao, J., Luo, X., Feng, L., Liu, W., Chen, J., Benachi, A., Luca, D. D., & Chen, L. (2020) · Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1097/aog.0000000000003926 · Cited by 126
Fetal deaths in pregnancies with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Brazil: A case series
Richtmann, R., Torloni, M. R., Otani, A. R. O., Levi, J. E., Tobara, M. C., Silva, C. D. A., Dias, L., Miglioli-Galvão, L., da Silva, P. M., & Kondo, M. (2020) · Case Reports in Women s Health · doi:10.1016/j.crwh.2020.e00243 · Cited by 124
Defense and infection of the human placenta
Heerema‐McKenney, A. (2018) · Apmis · doi:10.1111/apm.12847 · Cited by 120
Stability of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in Milk
van Doremalen, N., Bushmaker, T., Karesh, W. B., & Munster, V. J. (2014) · Emerging infectious diseases · doi:10.3201/eid2007.140500 · Cited by 116
Ashraf, M. A., Keshavarz, P., Hosseinpour, P., Erfani, A., Roshanshad, A., Pourdast, A., Nowrouzi‐Sohrabi, P., Chaichian, S., & Poordast, T. (2020) · PubMed Central · Cited by 99
de Melo, G. C., & de Araújo, K. C. G. M. (2020) · Cadernos de Saúde Pública · doi:10.1590/0102-311x00087320 · Cited by 91
Protecting Breastfeeding during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Cheema, R., Partridge, E., Kair, L. R., Kuhn-Riordon, K. M., Silva, A. I., Bettinelli, M. E., Chantry, C. J., Underwood, M. A., Lakshminrusimha, S., & Blumberg, D. A. (2020) · American Journal of Perinatology · doi:10.1055/s-0040-1714277 · Cited by 89
Delivery in pregnant women infected with SARS ‐CoV‐2: A fast review
Parazzini, F., Bortolus, R., Mauri, P. A., Favilli, A., Gerli, S., & Ferrazzi, E. M. (2020) · International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics · doi:10.1002/ijgo.13166 · Cited by 85
Fãvre, M., Majewski, S., de Jesus, N., Malejczyk, M., Orth, G., & Jabłońska, S. (1998) · Journal of Investigative Dermatology · doi:10.1046/j.1523-1747.1998.00312.x · Cited by 84
Report of Positive Placental Swabs for SARS-CoV-2 in an Asymptomatic Pregnant Woman with COVID-19
Ferraiolo, A., Barra, F., Kratochwila, C., Paudice, M., Vellone, V. G., Godano, E., Varesano, S., Noberasco, G., Ferrero, S., & Arioni, C. (2020) · Medicina · doi:10.3390/medicina56060306 · Cited by 79
Severe outbreak of bovine coronavirus infection in dairy cattle during the warmer season
Decaro, N., Mari, V., Desario, C., Campolo, M., Elia, G., Martella, V., Greco, G., Cirone, F., Colaianni, M. L., Cordioli, P., et al. (2007) · Veterinary Microbiology · doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2007.06.024 · Cited by 76
Is SARS-CoV-2 Vertically Transmitted?
Silva, A. C. S. E., & Leal, C. R. V. (2020) · Frontiers in Pediatrics · doi:10.3389/fped.2020.00276 · Cited by 64
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Newborn
Ovalı, F. (2020) · Frontiers in Pediatrics · doi:10.3389/fped.2020.00294 · Cited by 64
Langel, S. N., Wang, Q., Vlasova, A. N., & Saif, L. J. (2020) · Pathogens · doi:10.3390/pathogens9020130 · Cited by 61
Recent Updates on Research Models and Tools to Study Virus–Host Interactions at the Placenta
Lee, J. K., Oh, S. J., Park, H., & Shin, O. S. (2019) · Viruses · doi:10.3390/v12010005 · Cited by 46
Dixon, D. (2015) · Children · doi:10.3390/children2030289 · Cited by 41
Saulle, I., Ibba, S. V., Torretta, E., Vittori, C., Fenizia, C., Piancone, F., Minisci, D., Lori, E. M., Trabattoni, D., Gelfi, C., et al. (2019) · Frontiers in Immunology · doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.01648 · Cited by 33
Self-citationSevere coronavirus infection in pregnancy: challenging cases report
dos Reis, H. L. B., Boldrini, N. A. T., Caldas, J. V. J., da Paz, A. P. C., Ferrugini, C. L. P., & Miranda, A. E. (2020) · Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo · doi:10.1590/s1678-9946202062049 · Cited by 19
Xiao, T., Xia, S., Zeng, L., Lin, G. W., Wei, Q., Zhou, W., Zhuang, D., Chen, X., Yi, B., Li, L., et al. (2020) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038004 · Cited by 8
Cited by
Sorted by citations
mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases: principles, delivery and clinical translation
Chaudhary, N., Weissman, D., & Whitehead, K. A. (2021) · Nature Reviews Drug Discovery · doi:10.1038/s41573-021-00283-5 · Cited by 1,555
A Comprehensive Review of mRNA Vaccines
Gote, V., Bolla, P. K., Kommineni, N., Butreddy, A., Nukala, P. K., Palakurthi, S. S., & Khan, W. (2023) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms24032700 · Cited by 457
Edlow, A. G., Li, J. Z., Collier, A.-R. Y., Atyeo, C. G., James, K. E., Boatin, A. A., Gray, K. J., Bordt, E. A., Shook, L. L., Yonker, L. M., et al. (2020) · JAMA Network Open · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.30455 · Cited by 403
Lessons learned 1 year after SARS-CoV-2 emergence leading to COVID-19 pandemic
To, K. K., Sridhar, S., Chiu, K. H., Hung, D. L. L., Li, X., Hung, I. F., Tam, A. R., Chung, T. W., Chan, J. F., Zhang, J., et al. (2021) · Emerging Microbes & Infections · doi:10.1080/22221751.2021.1898291 · Cited by 359
Synthesis and systematic review of reported neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infections
Raschetti, R., Vivanti, A. J., Vauloup‐Fellous, C., Loi, B., Benachi, A., & Luca, D. D. (2020) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-020-18982-9 · Cited by 327
Metadata
- Authors
- Fenizia, C., Biasin, M., Cetin, I., Vergani, P., Mileto, D., Spinillo, A., Gismondo, M. R., Perotti, F., Callegari, C., Mancon, A., Cammarata, S., Beretta, I., Nebuloni, M., Trabattoni, D., Clerici, M., & Savasi, V.
- Affiliations
- University of Milan (IT)
- ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco (IT)
- University of Milano-Bicocca (IT)
- University of Pavia (IT)
- Policlinico San Matteo Fondazione (IT)
- Azienda Ospedaliera San Gerardo (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Savasi, Valeria
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2020-10-12
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 5128-5128
- ISSN
- 2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7552412
- OpenAlex
- W3092146863
- Cited by
- 361
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 55 · 2022: 93 · 2021: 149 · 2020: 13
- FWCI
- 47.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- medRxiv (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (Universita Degli Studi Di Milano) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- BOA (University of Milano-Bicocca) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Università degli Studi di Milano
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Keywords
- SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic, vertical transmission, pregnancy, placenta, umbilical cord blood, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, IgM and IgG antibodies, inflammation, placental gene expression, vaginal mucosa, breast milk, obstetric management
- MeSH terms
- Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adolescent, Adult, Antibodies, Viral, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Inflammation, Middle Aged, Pneumonia, Viral, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious, Genome, Viral, Coronavirus Infections, Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical, Young Adult, Pandemics
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
