Comparative Analysis of Hematological and Biochemical Changes in Neonates among Women with and without COVID-19 Infection during Pregnancy

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the test results of neonates delivered by COVID-19-positive mothers during pregnancy with those of neonates born to unvaccinated mothers who are COVID-19-free. A cohort study was conducted on 367 pregnant women who gave birth at Premiere Hospital, Timisoara, Romania, between May 2021 and February 2022. Two groups were established: Group 1, with 167 pregnant women infected with COVID-19, and Group 2, with 200 pregnant women who were not affected by COVID-19 during pregnancy. Maternal laboratory examination did not exhibit significant variations except for platelet count. In neonatal blood tests, WBC had a significantly lower median value in the group born to COVID-19-free mothers. Neonatal anemia and leukocytosis showed slightly higher prevalence in Group 1, but the differences were not statistically significant. This study suggests that maternal COVID-19 infection during pregnancy does not have significant associations with most maternal and neonatal characteristics.

The Role of Biomarkers and Correlated Conditions in the Diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis

“…Intubation for long periods of time and mechanical ventilation is a common occurrence in newborns. Ventilation-associated pneumonia is usually considered a nosocomial infection [22,30,31] and the criteria for diagnosis include: temperature instability, changes in blood gases; tachypnea, need of increased ventilation parameters, and more than 48 hours of mechanical ventilation [32]. The incidence of late onset sepsis ranges from 0.6% to 14% of all neonates admitted to the hospital according to the literature [28].…”