Fetal Brain Development Not Affected by Coronavirus Even if Mothers Tested Positive With COVID-19 During Pregnancy

Experts revealed in a new COVID-19 investigation that the brain of a fetus could potentially be left unharmed by the capacity of mild to moderate coronavirus. On the scale, a non-severe COVID-19 infection in the gestation period does not manifest any danger to the offspring's brain.

COVID-19 and the Risk of Pregnancy During Pandemic

(Photo: Yan Krukov from Pexels)

The effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy, especially towards the fetus, had been already a topic of many theories since the pandemic surged. To have clarity on the matter, researchers examined how much severity it would take for the coronavirus to affect a human in its embryonic stage during gestation and how it could impact the proper track of brain development before birth.

According to the results presented in the Radiological Society of North America, there were several factors found to have no implications of relaying disturbance to the brain development and neurological health of a developing fetus. They detailed the results of their experiment in the study titled "SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Pregnancy: Does Fetal MRI Show Signs of Impaired Fetal Brain Development?" led by experts from the University of Munich along with collaborating experts.

As time passed by throughout the years of the pandemic, researchers from various organizations have conducted several studies about the influence of coronavirus on patients who are also pregnant. ANI reported that among the studies on the correlation of pregnancy and COVID-19, many experts have pointed out that mothers undergoing gestation periods are at high risk of the consequences of the disease.

Although the awareness of the people's immunity and its variances in different individuals had been widespread, pregnant mothers are always the exception. Embryonic growth is the most vulnerable phase of a fetus, as the natural progression of the materializing fetus requires undisturbed series of complicated biological development.

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Coronavirus in Pregnant Women Does Not Harm Brain Development of Unborn Children

When the SARS-CoV-2 caused an uncontrollable pandemic, experts have anticipated that pregnant women will be at high risk of the infection upon transmission. Throughout the two years of surge and multiplication of coronavirus variants, health care during pregnancy had been among the top priorities, along with patients with severe conditions and underlying diseases. But a new study suggests that overall pregnancy is not at stake when a pregnant individual contracts the coronavirus. The research says that the brain construction of a developing fetus during gestation is, surprisingly, not affected by any external factors brought by COVID-19 after detection.

Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich's Department of Radiology expert and senior author of the study Sophia Stöcklein said in an RSNA report that the effects of COVID-19 concerned many pregnant women as the implications could also target the maturation of their unborn offsprings. The expert said that the main interest of the study was to define the specific consequences of COVID-19 in fetuses, especially the fetal brain development during pregnancy.

The study included results from fetal MRI that was collected from 33 pregnant women who also tested positive with the coronavirus. Most of the individuals are already on the 28th week of pregnancy and were found with symptoms such as dry cough, shortness of breath, and loss of taste and smell. The MRI scans from the women were evaluated, and the results showed that there were no damages or disturbances inflicted on the fetal brain even if the pregnant women were confirmed with mild or moderate COVID-19.

Stöcklein said that even if there are no significant implications of the coronavirus that severe brain development, protective measures, and awareness must be kept intact during pregnancy. The expert said that with the results from the study, parents could have an assurance that the brain development of their offspring would be safe even if they are detected with the disease during pregnancy.