Pregnant woman.Photo: getty
COVID-19 can destroy the placenta and lead to stillbirthsduring pregnancyin rare cases, according to new research, further highlighting thepotential risks of the virus to the mother and fetus.
The virus can directly attack and destroy the placenta, cutting off its life-giving supply of oxygen and nutrients to the developing fetus and causing asphyxiation and death, the study, published in the journalArchives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, found.
Stillbirth is one of several potential issues the Centers for Disease Control and OB-GYNs have warned can occur in pregnant people who contract COVID-19, andwhy they’ve urged them to get vaccinated.
For this study, researchers from 12 countries, including the U.S., looked at placental tissue from 64 stillbirths and four newborns who died shortly after birth. All of the fetuses were from mothers who were unvaccinated and had COVID-19 during pregnancy.
“We have never seen this level of destruction from an infectious illness before. It rendered the placenta unfit to carry out its duties,” Dr. David Schwartz, a perinatal pathologist and lead author of the study,told NBC News. “These fetuses and newborns died from asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen.”
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COVID-19 appeared to cause three issues in the placenta: a build-up of a protein that can cause blood clots, the death of cells in its protective layer and inflammation.
The researchers found that around three-quarters of the placenta was damaged in each case, making it unable to function.
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source: people.com
