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Open AccessJournal ArticleDOI

Risks associated with viral infections during pregnancy

Karen Racicot, +1 more
- 01 May 2017 - 
- Vol. 127, Iss: 5, pp 1591-1599
TLDR
The potential contributions of maternal, placental, and fetal viral infection to pregnancy outcome, fetal development, and maternal well-being are discussed.
Abstract
Despite the prevalence of viral infections in the American population, we still have a limited understanding of how they affect pregnancy and fetal development. Viruses can gain access to the decidua and placenta by ascending from the lower reproductive tract or via hematogenous transmission. Viral tropism for the decidua and placenta is then dependent on viral entry receptor expression in these tissues as well as on the maternal immune response to the virus. These factors vary by cell type and gestational age and can be affected by changes to the in utero environment and maternal immunity. Some viruses can directly infect the fetus at specific times during gestation, while some only infect the placenta. Both scenarios can result in severe birth defects or pregnancy loss. Systemic maternal viral infections can also affect the pregnancy, and these can be especially dangerous, because pregnant women suffer higher virus-associated morbidity and mortality than do nonpregnant counterparts. In this Review, we discuss the potential contributions of maternal, placental, and fetal viral infection to pregnancy outcome, fetal development, and maternal well-being.

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Citations
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Why are pregnant women susceptible to COVID-19? An immunological viewpoint.

TL;DR: The reason why pregnant women are more susceptible to COVID-19 and the potential maternal and fetal complications from an immunological viewpoint is focused on.
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Impact of COVID-19 on maternal and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

TL;DR: Although adverse outcomes such as ICU admission or patient death can occur, the clinical course of COVID-19 in most women is not severe, and the infection does not significantly influence the pregnancy, therefore, CO VID-19 should not be considered as an indication for elective caesarean section.
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Prenatal Infection as a Risk Factor for Schizophrenia

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Maternal and neonatal characteristics and outcomes among COVID-19 infected women: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

TL;DR: Regular screening and early detection of COVID-19 in pregnant women may provide more favorable outcomes and be associated with infection acquired at early gestational ages, more symptomatic presentation, myalgia symptom at presentation, and use of oxygen support therapy.
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Placental Pathology Findings during and after SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Features of Villitis and Malperfusion

TL;DR: There are histopathological signs of maternal and foetal malperfusion, which might have a relationship to an altered coagulative or microangiopathic state induced by SARS-CoV-2, yet this cannot be proven considering a plethora of confounding factors.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Zika Virus Associated with Microcephaly

TL;DR: The case of an expectant mother who had a febrile illness with rash at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy while she was living in Brazil and revealed microcephaly with calcifications in the fetal brain and placenta is described.
Journal ArticleDOI

Zika Virus (I). Isolations and serological specificity

TL;DR: Cross neutralization tests indicate that Zika virus is not related to yellow fever, Hawaii dengue nor to the FA and GD VII strains of Theiler's mouse encephalomyelitis virus.
Journal ArticleDOI

Zika Virus and Birth Defects — Reviewing the Evidence for Causality

TL;DR: It is concluded that a causal relationship exists between prenatal Zika virus infection and microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies and needs to intensify efforts toward the prevention of adverse outcomes caused by congenital Zika virus infections.
Journal ArticleDOI

Review and meta‐analysis of the epidemiology of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection

TL;DR: CMV is a common congenital infection worldwide that can lead to permanent disabilities and there is an urgent need for interventions that can reduce the substantial burden of this often overlooked disease.
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Systemic maternal viral infections can also affect the pregnancy, and these can be especially dangerous, because pregnant women suffer higher virus-associated morbidity and mortality than do nonpregnant counterparts.