COVID-19 in Pregnancy with Findings of Reduced Head Circumference: A
Retrospective Cohort Study
Abstract
Objective: We investigated the relationship between
trimester-specific SARS-CoV-2 infection and newborn growth metrics. We
hypothesize that COVID-19 may result in disproportion between neonatal
head measurements and weight without increasing the risk of SGA, and
that this relationship may be associated with timing of COVID-19
exposure in pregnancy. Design: Retrospective cohort
Setting: Northeast USA academic tertiary hospital
Population of sample: COVID-19-infected (n=140) and
COVID-19-uninfected (n=136) patients Methods: Inclusion
criteria: a) singleton birth between April 28, 2020, and December 31,
2022; and b) maternal COVID-19 infection diagnosed via PCR. Exclusion
criteria: < 12 years of age, major fetal anomalies, and fetal
loss < 15 weeks. Main Outcomes Measures: Outcomes
were a comparison of newborn growth measurements (length, weight, and
head circumference (HC) at birth), Ponderal Index (PI), and development
of SGA between SARS-CoV-2-infected and uninfected patients. Maternal and
neonatal characteristics were descriptively summarized, and multivariate
analyses and linear regression models were performed. Results:
Baseline maternal demographics did not significantly differ among the
uninfected and infected cohorts. Compared to the uninfected cohort,
COVID-19 diagnosed in the third trimester was associated with a lower
neonatal HC compared to newborns of uninfected patients (β=-0.38 [0.38
SD lower], 95% CI -0.65 to -0.10, p=0.024). There was no significant
difference among the cohorts for birth length, weight, or diagnosis of
small for gestational age. Conclusion: We found that COVID-19
infection in the third trimester was associated with a lower neonatal
head circumference without associated SGA. The cause underlying this
association is unknown. Further research to determine the risk of
neurotropic fetal infection by SARS-CoV-2, like ZIKA’s effect on the
fetal immune system leading to microcephaly, is urgently needed.