A prospective, longitudinal, case–control study to evaluate the neurodevelopment of children from birth to adolescence exposed to COVID-19 in utero

Rachel A. Hill; Atul Malhotra; Vathana Sackett; Katrina Williams; Michael Fahey; Kirsten R. Palmer; Rod W. Hunt; Hayley Darke; Izaak Lim; Vesna Newman-Morris; Jeanie L.Y. Cheong; Clare Whitehead; Joanne Said; Paulo Bignardi; Evelin Muraguchi; Luiz Carlos C. Fernandes; Carlos Oliveira; Suresh Sundram

doi:10.1186/s12887-023-03858-w

A prospective, longitudinal, case–control study to evaluate the neurodevelopment of children from birth to adolescence exposed to COVID-19 in utero

Rachel A. Hill, Atul Malhotra, Vathana Sackett, Katrina Williams, Michael Fahey, Kirsten R. Palmer, Rod W. Hunt, Hayley Darke, Izaak Lim, Vesna Newman-Morris, Jeanie L.Y. Cheong, Clare Whitehead, Joanne Said, Paulo Bignardi, Evelin Muraguchi, Luiz Carlos C. Fernandes, Carlos Oliveira, Suresh Sundram

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review

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Abstract

Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has created unprecedented acute global health challenges. However, it also presents a set of unquantified and poorly understood risks in the medium to long term, specifically, risks to children whose mothers were infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy. Infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of atypical neurodevelopment in the offspring, but the long-term neurodevelopmental impact of in utero COVID-19 exposure is unknown. Prospective, longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate children exposed in utero to SARS-CoV2 to define this risk. Methods: We have designed a prospective, case-controlled study to investigate the long-term impacts of SARS-CoV2 exposure on children exposed in utero. Women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy will be recruited from Monash Health, the Royal Women’s Hospital and Western Health (Melbourne, Australia) and Londrina Municipal Maternity Hospital Lucilla Ballalai and PUCPR Medical Clinical (Londrina, Brazil). A control group in a 2:1 ratio (2 non-exposed: 1 exposed mother infant dyad) comprising women who gave birth in the same month of delivery, are of similar age but did not contract SARS-CoV-2 during their pregnancy will also be recruited. We aim to recruit 170 exposed and 340 non-exposed mother-infant dyads. Clinical and socio-demographic data will be collected directly from the mother and medical records. Biospecimens and clinical and epidemiological data will be collected from the mothers and offspring at multiple time points from birth through to 15 years of age using standardised sample collection, and neurological and behavioural measures. Discussion: The mapped neurodevelopmental trajectories and comparisons between SARS-CoV-2 exposed and control children will indicate the potential for an increase in atypical neurodevelopment. This has significant implications for strategic planning in the mental health and paediatrics sectors and long-term monitoring of children globally.

Original language	English
Article number	48
Number of pages	8
Journal	BMC Pediatrics
Volume	23
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-03858-w
Publication status	Published - Dec 2023

Keywords

COVID-19
Neurodevelopment
Pregnancy
Prospective
SARS-CoV2

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1186/s12887-023-03858-wLicence: CC BY

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Hill, R. A., Malhotra, A., Sackett, V., Williams, K., Fahey, M., Palmer, K. R., Hunt, R. W., Darke, H., Lim, I., Newman-Morris, V., Cheong, J. L. Y., Whitehead, C., Said, J., Bignardi, P., Muraguchi, E., Fernandes, L. C. C., Oliveira, C., & Sundram, S. (2023). A prospective, longitudinal, case–control study to evaluate the neurodevelopment of children from birth to adolescence exposed to COVID-19 in utero. BMC Pediatrics, 23(1), Article 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-03858-w

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title = "A prospective, longitudinal, case–control study to evaluate the neurodevelopment of children from birth to adolescence exposed to COVID-19 in utero",

abstract = "Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has created unprecedented acute global health challenges. However, it also presents a set of unquantified and poorly understood risks in the medium to long term, specifically, risks to children whose mothers were infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy. Infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of atypical neurodevelopment in the offspring, but the long-term neurodevelopmental impact of in utero COVID-19 exposure is unknown. Prospective, longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate children exposed in utero to SARS-CoV2 to define this risk. Methods: We have designed a prospective, case-controlled study to investigate the long-term impacts of SARS-CoV2 exposure on children exposed in utero. Women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy will be recruited from Monash Health, the Royal Women{\textquoteright}s Hospital and Western Health (Melbourne, Australia) and Londrina Municipal Maternity Hospital Lucilla Ballalai and PUCPR Medical Clinical (Londrina, Brazil). A control group in a 2:1 ratio (2 non-exposed: 1 exposed mother infant dyad) comprising women who gave birth in the same month of delivery, are of similar age but did not contract SARS-CoV-2 during their pregnancy will also be recruited. We aim to recruit 170 exposed and 340 non-exposed mother-infant dyads. Clinical and socio-demographic data will be collected directly from the mother and medical records. Biospecimens and clinical and epidemiological data will be collected from the mothers and offspring at multiple time points from birth through to 15 years of age using standardised sample collection, and neurological and behavioural measures. Discussion: The mapped neurodevelopmental trajectories and comparisons between SARS-CoV-2 exposed and control children will indicate the potential for an increase in atypical neurodevelopment. This has significant implications for strategic planning in the mental health and paediatrics sectors and long-term monitoring of children globally.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Neurodevelopment, Pregnancy, Prospective, SARS-CoV2",

author = "Hill, {Rachel A.} and Atul Malhotra and Vathana Sackett and Katrina Williams and Michael Fahey and Palmer, {Kirsten R.} and Hunt, {Rod W.} and Hayley Darke and Izaak Lim and Vesna Newman-Morris and Cheong, {Jeanie L.Y.} and Clare Whitehead and Joanne Said and Paulo Bignardi and Evelin Muraguchi and Fernandes, {Luiz Carlos C.} and Carlos Oliveira and Suresh Sundram",

note = "Funding Information: This research is supported on a research grant awarded by the philanthropic organisation, One in Five, as well as internal departmental research funds. The external funding body has not played a role in the design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data or the writing of this manuscript or the decision to submit this manuscript. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023, The Author(s).",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1186/s12887-023-03858-w",

language = "English",

volume = "23",

journal = "BMC Pediatrics",

issn = "1471-2431",

publisher = "BioMed Central",

number = "1",

}

Hill, RA , Malhotra, A, Sackett, V, Williams, K , Fahey, M , Palmer, KR , Hunt, RW, Darke, H, Lim, I, Newman-Morris, V, Cheong, JLY, Whitehead, C, Said, J, Bignardi, P, Muraguchi, E, Fernandes, LCC, Oliveira, C & Sundram, S 2023, 'A prospective, longitudinal, case–control study to evaluate the neurodevelopment of children from birth to adolescence exposed to COVID-19 in utero', BMC Pediatrics, vol. 23, no. 1, 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-03858-w

TY - JOUR

T1 - A prospective, longitudinal, case–control study to evaluate the neurodevelopment of children from birth to adolescence exposed to COVID-19 in utero

AU - Hill, Rachel A.

AU - Malhotra, Atul

AU - Sackett, Vathana

AU - Williams, Katrina

AU - Fahey, Michael

AU - Palmer, Kirsten R.

AU - Hunt, Rod W.

AU - Darke, Hayley

AU - Lim, Izaak

AU - Newman-Morris, Vesna

AU - Cheong, Jeanie L.Y.

AU - Whitehead, Clare

AU - Said, Joanne

AU - Bignardi, Paulo

AU - Muraguchi, Evelin

AU - Fernandes, Luiz Carlos C.

AU - Oliveira, Carlos

AU - Sundram, Suresh

N1 - Funding Information: This research is supported on a research grant awarded by the philanthropic organisation, One in Five, as well as internal departmental research funds. The external funding body has not played a role in the design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data or the writing of this manuscript or the decision to submit this manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has created unprecedented acute global health challenges. However, it also presents a set of unquantified and poorly understood risks in the medium to long term, specifically, risks to children whose mothers were infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy. Infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of atypical neurodevelopment in the offspring, but the long-term neurodevelopmental impact of in utero COVID-19 exposure is unknown. Prospective, longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate children exposed in utero to SARS-CoV2 to define this risk. Methods: We have designed a prospective, case-controlled study to investigate the long-term impacts of SARS-CoV2 exposure on children exposed in utero. Women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy will be recruited from Monash Health, the Royal Women’s Hospital and Western Health (Melbourne, Australia) and Londrina Municipal Maternity Hospital Lucilla Ballalai and PUCPR Medical Clinical (Londrina, Brazil). A control group in a 2:1 ratio (2 non-exposed: 1 exposed mother infant dyad) comprising women who gave birth in the same month of delivery, are of similar age but did not contract SARS-CoV-2 during their pregnancy will also be recruited. We aim to recruit 170 exposed and 340 non-exposed mother-infant dyads. Clinical and socio-demographic data will be collected directly from the mother and medical records. Biospecimens and clinical and epidemiological data will be collected from the mothers and offspring at multiple time points from birth through to 15 years of age using standardised sample collection, and neurological and behavioural measures. Discussion: The mapped neurodevelopmental trajectories and comparisons between SARS-CoV-2 exposed and control children will indicate the potential for an increase in atypical neurodevelopment. This has significant implications for strategic planning in the mental health and paediatrics sectors and long-term monitoring of children globally.

AB - Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has created unprecedented acute global health challenges. However, it also presents a set of unquantified and poorly understood risks in the medium to long term, specifically, risks to children whose mothers were infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy. Infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of atypical neurodevelopment in the offspring, but the long-term neurodevelopmental impact of in utero COVID-19 exposure is unknown. Prospective, longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate children exposed in utero to SARS-CoV2 to define this risk. Methods: We have designed a prospective, case-controlled study to investigate the long-term impacts of SARS-CoV2 exposure on children exposed in utero. Women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy will be recruited from Monash Health, the Royal Women’s Hospital and Western Health (Melbourne, Australia) and Londrina Municipal Maternity Hospital Lucilla Ballalai and PUCPR Medical Clinical (Londrina, Brazil). A control group in a 2:1 ratio (2 non-exposed: 1 exposed mother infant dyad) comprising women who gave birth in the same month of delivery, are of similar age but did not contract SARS-CoV-2 during their pregnancy will also be recruited. We aim to recruit 170 exposed and 340 non-exposed mother-infant dyads. Clinical and socio-demographic data will be collected directly from the mother and medical records. Biospecimens and clinical and epidemiological data will be collected from the mothers and offspring at multiple time points from birth through to 15 years of age using standardised sample collection, and neurological and behavioural measures. Discussion: The mapped neurodevelopmental trajectories and comparisons between SARS-CoV-2 exposed and control children will indicate the potential for an increase in atypical neurodevelopment. This has significant implications for strategic planning in the mental health and paediatrics sectors and long-term monitoring of children globally.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Neurodevelopment

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Prospective

KW - SARS-CoV2

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U2 - 10.1186/s12887-023-03858-w

DO - 10.1186/s12887-023-03858-w

M3 - Article

C2 - 36717903

AN - SCOPUS:85147017940

SN - 1471-2431

VL - 23

JO - BMC Pediatrics

JF - BMC Pediatrics

IS - 1

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ER -

A prospective, longitudinal, case–control study to evaluate the neurodevelopment of children from birth to adolescence exposed to COVID-19 in utero

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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