Accepted Manuscript American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM

1 Detection of SARS-COV-2 in Placental and Fetal Membrane Samples

2 Christina A. Penfield, MD, MPH1; Sara G. Brubaker, MD, MS1; Meghana A. Limaye,

3 MD1; Jennifer Lighter, MD2; Adam J. Ratner MD, MPH3; Kristen M. Thomas, MD4;

4 Jessica Meyer, MD1; Ashley S. Roman, MD, MPH1

5 1
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, NYU

6 Langone Health

7 2
Department of Infection Prevention and Control and Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric

8 Infectious Diseases, NYU Langone Health

9 3
Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at

10 Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone Health

11 4
Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health

12 The authors report no conflict of interest and no funding for the study

13

14 Corresponding Author:

15 Christina A. Penfield, MD, MPH

16 NYU Langone Health

17 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

18 Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

19 150 E 32nd St.

20 New York, NY 10016

21 [Link]@[Link]

22 (619) 966-8906

23 Word count: 600

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29 Introduction: Since the first reports of the emergence of the novel coronavirus SARS-

30 CoV-2 and its associated disease (COVID-19), concerns remain about whether the virus

31 is transmissible in pregnant women from the mother to the fetus during either the

32 antepartum period or the process of labor and delivery. One recent review reported that

33 in a small number of cases, two PCR swabs of the placenta were sent in additional to

34 neonatal and cord blood testing, and both placental PCR swabs were negative.1 Other

35 studies have demonstrated the finding of SARS-CoV2 IgM in neonates born to mothers

36 diagnosed with COVID-19 during pregnancy,2,3 findings that may indicate vertical

37 transmission of the virus in utero. We report our experience with placental/membrane

38 SARS-CoV2 RNA PCR swab results after delivery to a series of symptomatic mothers

39 with confirmed COVID-19 infection in pregnancy.

40 Methods: IRB approval was obtained. All pregnant patients diagnosed with COVID-19

41 who gave birth between March 1, 2020 and April 20, 2020 at NYU Langone Health were

42 identified by a search of the electronic medical record. Charts were reviewed for

43 documentation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA RT-PCR testing sent from either the placenta or

44 membranes within 30 minutes following delivery. PCR testing for SARS-COV-2 was

45 performed using the cobas SARS-CoV-2 assay (Roche) or the Cepheid Xpert Xpress

46 assay. Placental swabs were obtained from the amniotic surface after clearing the surface

47 of maternal blood (placental PCR). Membrane swabs were obtained from between the

48 amnion and chorion after manual separation of the membranes (membrane PCR).

49 Maternal COVID-19 illness was categorized as mild, severe, or critical.4 The time

50 interval from maternal diagnosis of COVID-19 to delivery was calculated in days. Infants

51 were tested with nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 PCR between days of life 1 and
 Accepted Manuscript American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM

52 5 while hospitalized. Hospitalized infants were also assessed for clinical signs and

53 symptoms, including fever, cough, and nasal congestion.

54 Results: Of 32 COVID-19 positive pregnant patients who gave birth in this timeframe,

55 placental or membrane swabs were sent from 11 patients (Table). Three of 11 swabs were

56 positive. None of the infants tested positive for SARS-CoV2 on days of life 1 through 5,

57 and none demonstrated symptoms of COVID-19 infection.

58 Discussion: Of 11 placental or membrane swabs sent following delivery, 3 swabs were

59 positive for SARS-CoV-2, all in women with moderate to severe COVID-19 illness at

60 time of delivery. This is the first study to demonstrate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA

61 in placental or membrane samples. While there were no clinical signs of vertical

62 transmission, our findings raise the possibility of intrapartum viral exposure. Given the

63 mixing of maternal and fetal fluid and tissue at time of delivery, the origin of the detected

64 SARS-CoV-2 RNA in our series is unclear. It may represent contamination from

65 maternal blood, amniotic fluid, or COVID-19 infection of the membranes and amniotic

66 sac. For those infants who were delivered vaginally, contamination with vaginal

67 secretions is also a possible source, although prior studies on vaginal secretions have

68 failed to demonstrate the presence of COVID-19.5,6

69 Although all of our neonates tested negative in the first 5 days of life, many were born via

70 cesarean deliveries with decreased length of exposure to these tissues, which may be

71 associated with a decreased likelihood of vertical transmission. Additionally,

72 nasopharyngeal testing immediately after delivery may not be the ideal approach to

73 evaluate vertical transmission if exposure occurs at the time of delivery, as the virus may

74 require a longer incubation period before these swabs convert to positive. In summary,
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75 the presence of viral RNA by RT-PCR in placenta/membranes at the time of delivery

76 suggests the need for further research into the possibility of vertical transmission.

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82 References

83 1. Schwartz DA. An Analysis of 38 Pregnant Women with COVID-19, Their

84 Newborn Infants, and Maternal-Fetal Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: Maternal

85 Coronavirus Infections and Pregnancy Outcomes. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2020.

86 2. Zeng H, Xu C, Fan J, et al. Antibodies in Infants Born to Mothers With COVID-

87 19 Pneumonia. JAMA. 2020.

88 3. Dong L, Tian J, He S, et al. Possible Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 From

89 an Infected Mother to Her Newborn. JAMA. 2020.

90 4. Wu Z, McGoogan JM. Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the

91 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China: Summary of a Report

92 of 72314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

93 JAMA. 2020.

94 5. Qiu L, Liu X, Xiao M, et al. SARS-CoV-2 is not detectable in the vaginal fluid of

95 women with severe COVID-19 infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020.

96 6. Cui P, Chen Z, Wang T, et al. Clinical features and sexual transmission potential

97 of SARS-CoV-2 infected female patients: a descriptive study in Wuhan, China.

98 medRxiv. 2020:2020.2002.2026.20028225.

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101 Table. Summary of placental or membrane COVID-19 PCR result by patient

102
Interval Infant PCR results
from
Mode
Gestati COVID Placen
of Membra COVID
Age onal diagnosi tal DOL DOL DOL DOL DOL
deliver ne PCR Status
Age s to PCR 1 2 3 4 5
y
Patie delivery
nt (days)
1 37 36w6d 2 CD N/A Pos Critical Neg Neg
2 36 26w5d 1 CD N/A Pos Critical Neg Neg
3 38 38w3d 0 CD N/A Neg Critical Neg Neg
4 40 34w2d 1 CD Pos N/A Severe Neg Neg Neg
5 26 37w6d 0 NSVD N/A Neg Severe Neg Neg
6 34 37w1d 10 NSVD N/A Neg Mild Neg Neg
7 23 41w3d 1 NSVD N/A Neg Mild Neg
8 23 40w5d 8 NSVD N/A Neg Mild Neg
9 35 39w6d 15 NSVD N/A Neg Mild Neg
10 34 40w0d 5 NSVD N/A Neg Mild Neg
11 22 41w0d 15 NSVD N/A Neg Mild Neg
103 DOL= Day of Life, CD= Cesarean delivery, NSVD= Normal spontaneous vaginal
104 delivery
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