Perinatal COVID-19 Pandemic : Short- and Long-Term Impacts on the Health of Offspring

Currently, the consequences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children of mothers affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during pregnancy are unknown. In addition to pregnancy risks, the impact of COVID-19 on the health of these children can occur in the short, medium, and long term. Initial data reveal a low risk of vertical transmission during the third trimester of pregnancy and through breastfeeding. However, despite this low risk, cases of neonatal COVID-19 have already been reported in the literature. Historically, other viral infections during pregnancy have been associated with an increased risk of neuropsychiatric diseases in the offspring of affected pregnant women, even in the absence of fetal infection. This study aimed to review the impact of viral infections on the offspring of mothers affected in the perinatal period and discuss and determine measures for the possible consequences of COVID-19 in the offspring of pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2.