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Am J Perinatol 2025; 42(09): 1213-1222
DOI: 10.1055/a-2480-5329
Original Article

COVID-19 Serostatus Does Not Affect the Intrauterine Transfer of Micronutrients and Fatty Acids or Maternal–Fetal Lymphocyte Cell Composition: An Observational Study

Mullapudi V. Surekha    *
1   Pathology and Microbiology Division, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
,
Gargi Meur   *
2   Lipid Chemistry Division, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
,
Nadimpalli Suneetha
3   Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Government Area Hospital, Nampally, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
,
Nagalla Balakrishna
4   Department of Statistics, Apollo Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation (AHERF), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
,
Putcha U. Kumar
1   Pathology and Microbiology Division, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
,
Bhukya Tulja
5   Animal Facility, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
,
K. Suryam Reddy
2   Lipid Chemistry Division, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
,
Ahmed Ibrahim
2   Lipid Chemistry Division, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
,
Pratha Sunitha
6   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Area Hospital, Nampally, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
› Author Affiliations
Funding This work was supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) with grant number 20-PT02. We sincerely thank the Ex-Director of our Institute, Dr. R. Hemalatha, for permitting us and giving us her full support and necessary funding for carrying out this study.
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Abstract

Objective

Studies on the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on pregnant mothers and their newborns, specifically in relation to their micronutrient status, fatty acids (FAs), and inflammatory status are sparse. We hypothesized that COVID-19 infection would adversely affect the transfer of nutrients, and FAs from mothers to their fetuses via the umbilical cord and maternal–fetal distribution of inflammatory cells. This study aimed to determine the effect of COVID-19 on micronutrients, inflammatory markers, and FAs profiles in pregnant mothers and their newborns' cord blood.

Study Design

This was a cross-sectional study of 212 pregnant mothers in the third trimester and their newborns, recruited after testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) serostatus. Peripheral blood of mothers and cord blood were collected at birth and analyzed for vitamin B12 (Vit B12), folic acid, 25(OH)D3, FAs, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Student's t-test or analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to express statistical significance. Non-normal data were tested using the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test, with proportions compared with the chi-square test.

Results

Vit B12 levels were significantly low and adrenic acid levels significantly high in COVID-19 seropositive mothers while 25(OH)D3 was significantly low in seropositive cord blood. Irrespective of COVID-19 serostatus, folate, vit B12, saturated FA levels were significantly high in cord blood indicating their increased transfer from mothers to the fetus. However, monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels were significantly lower in cord blood. Irrespective of COVID-19 serostatus, CD4+ T helper cells (percentage of lymphocytes) were significantly higher in cord blood, while NK cells, NK-T cells, and CD8+ T-cytotoxic cells—percentage of lymphocytes—were significantly lower in cord blood when compared with corresponding mother's blood.

Conclusion

The results indicate that while COVID-19 did not impede the transfer of essential nutrients such as MUFA and PUFA from mother to fetus, or affect maternal–fetal immune cell responses, it did appear to affect the levels of vit B12, vitamin D, and adrenic acid.

Key Points

  • COVID-19 did not impede essential fatty acids transfer through cord blood.

  • COVID-19 affected maternal-fetal immune responses.

  • COVID-19 affected vitB12, vitamin D and adrenic acid levels.

Keywords

COVID-19 - pregnant mothers - cord blood - micronutrients - fatty acids - peripheral blood mononuclear cells

* These authors have contributed equally to the work and share senior authorship.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 11 July 2024

Accepted: 20 November 2024

Article published online:
24 December 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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