Baby Born to Mother Infected with COVID-19 Vulnerable to Multiple Diseases

Pregnant Women Should Get Vaccinated for Their Babies as They Are More Likely to Suffer from Diseases Like Respiratory Distress

(Photo by Reuters Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] A study has found that babies born to mothers infected with COVID-19 are more likely to suffer from several conditions, including respiratory distress.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel reported in a paper published on the 11th (local time) in the online edition of the prestigious journal American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Maternal-Fetal Medicine (AJOG MFM) that COVID-19 complications can pose significant challenges to pregnant women and newborns.

Dr. Elior Eliasi, an obstetrics and gynecology specialist at Tel Aviv University Medical School who led the study, stated in the paper, "There was a significant difference between the COVID-19 positive group and the healthy control group."

When pregnant women are infected with COVID-19, the likelihood of developing gestational diabetes increases, white blood cell counts drop significantly, the risk of bleeding during delivery rises, and newborns have a higher chance of developing respiratory complications.

The researchers noted in the paper, "Pregnant women at full term (nine months) infected with COVID-19 are likely to experience multiple adverse effects," adding, "These effects are more likely to appear in symptomatic pregnant women than in asymptomatic ones."

This study involved 2,471 full-term pregnant women and babies born between March 26 and September 30 of last year.

Among pregnant women, some hesitate to get vaccinated due to concerns about potential problems for their babies. However, if a pregnant woman contracts COVID-19, the risk of severe illness and hospitalization increases. This is why the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has strongly recommended vaccination for pregnant women since this summer.

Vaccination during pregnancy can prevent severe illness even if the mother contracts COVID-19. Furthermore, researchers at New York University confirmed in a paper published on the 21st of last month (local time) in AJOG MFM that vaccinated pregnant women transfer antibodies to the fetus through the umbilical cord.