As we continue to adapt to life during a pandemic, the impact of COVID-19 looms on top of other concerns many expecting parents face. Because of all the changes that happen during pregnancy, pregnant women need to be aware they may be at higher risk of getting a viral respiratory infection. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends the best way for pregnant women to maintain their health during this pandemic is by keeping their scheduled prenatal appointments and following other guidelines and safety precautions regarding COVID-19. This includes wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, frequent handwashing, and keeping an appropriate supply of health medications on hand.
Outside of maintaining an adequate level of medical care, it’s essential to make sure your mental and emotional well-being is just as healthy. A great way to alleviate any anxiety you may be experiencing during COVID-19 is to communicate with your care providers, stay in touch with your emotional support system, and use reliable sources of information. With each day, we continue to gather more information, data, and insight into the scientific findings from COVID-19 than what we had before.
COVID-19 and Pregnancy: What We Know
As we continue to learn more about how this virus works, we see that newborns born from COVID-19 infected mothers are faring well, and the risk of transmission is low. The Journal of American Medical Association published a study that concluded there was no evidence of transmission in the 101 newborns born from mothers who tested positive with or were suspected of having COVID-19 despite the close contact they had with their baby by sharing a room or breastfeeding them.
A similar conclusion was published from a study conducted in San Francisco. While a maternal viral infection in pregnancy can be harmful to the health and development of newborns, the study showed that the 263 infants born to mothers who tested positive for COVID-19 were not underweight, did not have difficulty breathing, apnea, or upper or lower respiratory infections in their first eight weeks of age.
Exploring Stem Cell Therapy in COVID-19
Some exciting research already happening with stem cells in the newborn world is now expanding into the possibility of using the same stem cells to help treat COVID-19.
Several studies worldwide are looking into whether Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can play a role in treating some of the effects COVID-19 can have on the respiratory system. MSCs are adult stem cells that are present in many human tissues and are also abundant in the umbilical cord. MSCs are very versatile because of their ability to divide and differentiate into many types of tissues, leading to a robust use of these stem cells in regenerative medicine research. Their capability to respond to inflammation and aid in tissue repair makes them a great resource to potentially help in the treatment of COVID-19 by reducing lung injury and inhibiting the inflammatory response brought on by the virus. While this research is interesting and has researchers excited for their future potential, it is in the very early stages. The use of MSCs in the treatment of COVID-19 are not currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Impact of COVID-19 on Cord Blood and Tissue Banking
As COVID-19 continues to impact our lives daily in many ways, many expecting parents may be wondering if it will affect their ability to bank their baby’s cord blood and cord tissue stem cells.
According to the American College of Gynecology (ACOG), respiratory diseases are not typically transmitted by the transfer of human cells. Currently, there are no reported cases of transmission of COVID-19 by blood transfusions. During these uncertain times, ViaCord is working closely with hospitals, couriers, and medical experts to follow recommended guidelines and best practices for COVID-19. To see what we are doing, click here.
Disclaimer: PerkinElmer and ViaCord do not endorse or make recommendations with respect to research, medications or treatment. All information is provided for informational purposes only.
References:
NIH. Mesenchymal Stem Cells. https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/immune-based-therapy/blood-derived-products/mesenchymal-stem-cells/
ClinicalTrials.gov. Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of COVID-19 Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04565665?term=mesenchymal+stem+cells&cond=COVID-19&draw=2 MD Anderson Clinical trial using CB MSC
NIH. Treatment of severe COVID-19 with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32811531/
ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=Covid19&term=mesenchymal+cord&cntry=&state=&city=&dist=&Search=Search
Clinical Infectious Diseases. Infant outcomes following Maternal infection with SARS-CoV-2, PRIORITY study. https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa1411/5908705
JAMA Pediatrics. Outcomes of Neonates Born to Mothers With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection at a Large Medical Center in New York City. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2771636?utm_campaign=articlePDF&utm_medium=articlePDFlink&utm_source=articlePDF&utm_content=jamapediatrics.2020.4298
ACOG. Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/03/novel-coronavirus-2019-
ClinicalTrials.gov. hCT-MSCs for COVID19 ARDS. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04399889
