COVID-19 infection in pregnancy: placental histopathology and perinatal outcomes. Case series analysis
Background: SARS-CoV-2 enters the cell, by interacting with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors, and affects a wide range of tissues and organs. Thus, ACE-2 receptors are found in placental tissues, as confirmed by the growing number of publications on the detection of virions in cotyledons. To date, the infectious involvement and localization of SARS-CoV-2 in placental tissue are described in a small series of cases and occur with a low frequency of 21%. The current data show that pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 have a high risk of miscarriage, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and perinatal mortality. In view of the fact that constant efforts are being undertaken to study the placentas of patients who have experienced COVID-19 in order to further predict the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on pregnant women and newborns.Zazerskaya I.E., Godzoeva A.O., Roshchina T.Yu., Belyaeva O.A., Ryabokon N.R., Li O.A., Osipova N.A., Rudenko K.A.
Case report: This investigation analyzes data on three clinical cases of the course and outcomes pregnancy in patients after having experienced the novel coronavirus infection in early gestation. It presents in detail the nature of histopathological changes in placental tissue after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Conclusion: Based on the presented clinical cases, by comparing the findings and changes in the fetoplacental complex, there is an idea of its possible damage in pregnant women who have experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection in the early stages of gestation, regardless of the severity of the disease, as demonstrated by these clinical cases.
Keywords
placental histopathology
novel coronavirus infection
COVID-19
fetomaternal vascular malperfusion
pregnancy outcomes
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Received 25.11.2021
Accepted 04.03.2022
About the Authors
Irina E. Zazerskaya, MD, PhD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Medical Education, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Аkkuratova str., 2b.Alina O. Godzoeva, MD, Post-graduate student, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Medical education, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, +7(988)870-86-73, godzoevaalina@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1730-2019, 197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Аkkuratova str., 2b.
Tatiana Yu. Roshchina, MD, Pathologist of the Pathological Department, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2169-1782, 197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Аkkuratova str., 2b.
Olga A. Beliaeva, Resident Physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Medical education, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, belyaevaolga0138@gmail.com, 197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Аkkuratova str., 2b.
Nikita R. Riabokon, MD, PhD, Assistant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Medical Education, V.A. Almazov National Medical Research Center, 197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Аkkuratova str., 2b.
Olga A. Lee, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Medical education; Deputy Chief Physician for Medical Work, Perinatal Center, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Аkkuratova str., 2b.
Natalia A. Osipova, MD, PhD, Head of Department of Pregnancy Pathology, Institute of Medical Education, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Аkkuratova str., 2b.
Ksenia A. Rudenko, Resident Physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Medical education, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Аkkuratova str., 2b.
Corresponding author: Alina O. Godzoeva, godzoevaalina@mail.ru
Authors' contributions: Zazerskaya I.E., Godzoeva A.O. - concept and design of the investigation; Godzoeva A.O., Beliaeva O.A., Rudenko K.A. - material collection and processing; Roshchina T.Yu., Ryabokon N.R. - instrumental and laboratory studies; Godzoeva A.O., Beliaeva O.A., Rudenko K.A. - writing the text; Zazerskaya I.E., Roshchina T.Yu., Li O.A., Osipova N.A. - editing.
Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that there are no possible conflicts of interest.
Funding: The investigation has not been sponsored.
Ethical Approval: The investigation was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the V.A. Almazov National Medical Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia (Ref. No. 06112019).
Patient Consent for Publication: All patients provided informed consent for the publication of their data and associated images.
For citation: Zazerskaya I.E., Godzoeva A.O., Roshchina T.Yu., Belyaeva O.A., Ryabokon N.R., Li O.A., Osipova N.A., Rudenko K.A. COVID-19 infection in pregnancy: placental histopathology and perinatal outcomes. Case series analysis.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2022; 3: 156-164 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2022.3.156-164
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