FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States, mother-tochild transmission of COVID-19 during pregnancy still remains unknown.^1,2 The susceptibility of pregnant women versus non pregnant women to contract COVID-19 is still unknown. However, when a pregnant woman contracts COVID-19, there is an increased risk of developing severe symptoms compared to non-pregnant woman and may pose a threat to the pregnancy outcome.

Given that the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to many respiratory infections, see a doctor immediately if you are experiencing symptoms such as cough and fever.

If you are pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is absolutely crucial to observe personal hygiene by washing your hands with soap frequently and also avoid travelling to crowded places. If travelling is essential, always wear a face mask.

Evidence suggests that the transmission of COVID-19 is mainly through close human-to-human contact via air droplets, which contain the virus emitted from an infected person who coughs or sneezes. According to the CDC, mother-to-child transmission of COVID-19 during pregnancy is still remain unknown. ^1,2

In a recent case study on nine pregnant mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 who underwent caesarean delivery, none of the babies delivered were tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, the virus was not detected in cord blood, throat swabs, and amniotic fluid or other maternal samples collected³.

In a recent case study from France, a newborn was infected in the womb with COVID-19 through his 23-year-old mother. Although the baby developed symptoms 24 hours after birth, he managed to have full recovery within three weeks. ¹⁴ The study has indicated that there is a possibility of transmission of COVID-19 through placenta.

However, according to a widely referenced and circulated research letter from Wuhan, China, three out of 33 newborns who were born from COVID-19 positive mothers and delivered through caesarean delivery, were diagnosed with COVID-19. Even though the three newborns showed symptoms of fever and pneumonia right after birth, all of them have recovered and were tested negative for COVID-19 in a span of one week. ⁴

The probability of COVID-19 transmission to the newborn during pregnancy may be contributed by various factors such as gestational age during which infection was contracted, type of delivery and etc. Therefore, the mother who contracted with COVID-19 may want to consider hiring a caregiver or finding someone in the family to take care of the baby until she has fully recovered.

As far as we know, your baby’s cord blood will not contain the COVID-19 strain even if the mother is a carrier. Typically, when a mother is sick with a respiratory virus, it is very rare for the virus to be present in the cord blood. ^5,6,7

A retrospective study was conducted in Wuhan, China, on nine pregnant women in their third trimester who all had a history of epidemiological exposure to COVID-19, has also provided further reassurance that the virus is unlikely to be present in cord blood and birth tissues. All nine livebirths in the study were tested negative for COVID-19, with no severe perinatal asphyxia³ . Perinatal asphyxia is defined as a lack of blood flow or oxygen to or from the foetus in the period immediately before, during, or after the birth process⁸ . Furthermore, amniotic fluid, cord blood and neonatal throat swab samples of the newborns were also COVID-19 negative at the point of birth. ³

As cord blood will be collected by your caregiver immediately after the delivery of your baby, the collection of cord blood, cord lining and cord tissue remains safe even during this pandemic period. Emerging evidences are now suggesting that the risk of direct transmission at the point of delivery is low and there was no detection of COVID-19 virus strain within the maternal and neonatal samples that can be transmitted to the umbilical cord blood and cord tissue. ⁹

In most if not all cases of COVID-19 human-to-human transmission globally, the virus is spread mainly through close interaction with an infected person where respiratory secretions can enter the eyes, mouth, nose or airways and via the touching of a surface or an object that is contaminated with the respiratory droplets. ¹⁰

Cordlife is listed as an essential service provider during this pandemic. Our laboratory operations remain unaffected and we will adhere to the most stringent protocols to ensure that your baby’s cord blood, cord lining and cord tissue are safely collected, processed and cryopreserved.

At this juncture, there is little or no conclusive evidence to prove that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can help to treat COVID-19. It is important to note that the major risk factor in COVID-19 mortality is the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in critically ill patients, among other considerations such as age and pre-existing medical conditions¹¹. According to the European Respiratory Journal, MSC treatment was administered on ARDS patients contracted with influenza virus respiratory infections (H7N1) and was concluded as a viable treatment that resulted in shortened ICU stay and faster recovery in patients. ¹¹

According to the latest study in China, 31 COVID-19 patients aged between 61 to 71 received umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) infusions. After 10 days of first infusion, 30 patients’ test results were negative. The results may suggest that MSCs could play a potential role in treating or significantly improving the conditions of the patients. ¹²

Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and multiple agencies led by the CDC in the United States are studying the use of expanded MSCs as a possible treatment for COVID-19¹³. The limited but emerging evidence regarding MSCs in managing COVID-19 suggests an urgent mandate for more clinical trials to determine the direct impact these regenerative cells have on patient recovery, which may point in favour of uncovering the potential applications of MSCs to treat COVID-19.

Stem cells are at the forefront of one of the most fascinating and revolutionary areas of medicine today. Doctors recognise that stem cells have the potential to regenerate healthy new cells and tissue to help treat numerous diseases.

As clinical trials progress and researches continue to develop, umbilical cord stem cells may prove to be useful for conditions that have no cure today. In the last 19 years, Cordlife Group has released cord blood and cord tissue samples for blood reconstitution and other cellular regenerative therapies. We believe having a readily available supply of cord blood and stem cells from the umbilical cord preserved at birth helps enable our clients to gain access to standard therapies as well as groundbreaking clinical trials and experimental treatment for themselves and their loved ones.