COVID-19 infection may induce fetal brain hemorrhages, scientists from King’s College in London warn. There’s evidence of the virus in fetal brain tissue in instances of the pregnant mother passing the infection to their children.
The research team studied 661 human fetal tissue samples collected between July 2020 and April 2022, observing hemorrhages in 26 of them. COVID-19 was present in all of the tissue samples with evidence of hemorrhaging. All the samples were collected from electively terminated pregnancies.
Researchers highlighted signs of a reduction in blood vessel integrity and an increase in immune cells infiltrating the brain as being linked to tissue damage. This may be a direct result of the COVID-19 infection or an indirect result of the mother’s immune response.
The number of women who died in child birth surged 40% during childbirth. Those deaths were preventable. The study highlights the need for pregnant women to be vaccinated against COVID-19, thus avoiding complications for both mother and baby.