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Recent research sheds light on why pregnant women seem to have a low rate of transmitting COVID-19 to their newborns. The findings, published in the American Journal of Pathology, focus on the placenta’s potential protective role. Expecting parents have understandably worried about the risk of passing COVID-19 to their babies during the pandemic. However, a study from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) offers some reassurance.
Researchers analyzed placenta samples from 16 pregnant individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 during their second or third trimesters. They discovered that these samples exhibited lower levels of an enzyme known as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) compared to placentas from individuals without the virus. ACE-2 is the entry point for the virus that causes COVID-19, leading to its spread throughout the body. The study suggests that the placenta actively reduces ACE-2 levels to help “block [the virus] from being passed to the fetus,” according to co-author Dr. Mia Johnson, a pediatrics expert at BUSM who has been exploring the relationship between the placenta and COVID protection since 2020.
Conducted between July 2020 and April 2021, prior to the widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines, the study’s findings resonate with existing research indicating that vaccines, such as those from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, can generate immune responses in pregnant and breastfeeding individuals, potentially enhancing immunity in their infants after birth.
The researchers used placenta tissue from two cohorts: one with healthy pregnancies and no confirmed COVID-19 cases, and the other with at least one positive COVID diagnosis during the second or third trimester. They utilized microscopy to assess the presence of ACE-2, which may explain the low rates of in utero COVID transmission, even when the pregnant individual faces severe illness.
These insights could aid healthcare professionals in understanding how COVID-19 infiltrates cells, as the placenta functions similarly to the lungs in utero by transporting oxygen and nutrients to the fetus while removing waste products like carbon dioxide, according to the Mayo Clinic. Regulating these enzymes could be a key strategy in preventing COVID infections, a crucial goal in the ongoing pandemic.
Dr. Johnson remarked that the placenta could be considered “one of the few ‘success stories’ of the pandemic,” and it’s safe to say it’s the unsung hero we didn’t know we needed. For more insights on pregnancy and home insemination, check out this informative blog post here.
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Summary
Research indicates that the placenta may help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 from pregnant individuals to their fetuses by reducing levels of the ACE-2 enzyme, which the virus uses to enter cells. This discovery may provide insights for healthcare professionals and reassure expecting parents about the risks of COVID-19 during pregnancy.
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Keyphrase: Placenta and COVID-19 transmission
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