Growth in the first two years in children born to mothers infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy: a cohort study.

INTRODUCTION

Because the impact of COVID-19 on the growth of infants whose mothers were infected with this virus during pregnancy is unclear, this study investigated the effect of mothers' infection with this virus during pregnancy on their infant's growth during the first two years of life.

METHOD

In this prospective cohort study, the available information from 697 mothers referring to Iran's health care centers for pregnancy and breastfeeding care was used to compare the growth of 367 children born to mothers infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy with that of 330 children born to mothers who were not infected and not exposed to COVID-19 during pregnancy. Their growth was evaluated for two years.

RESULTS

Concerning the weight, height, and head circumference 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after birth, although the values obtained in the exposed group were slightly higher than the non-exposed group, no statistically significant difference was observed (P > 0.05). Comparing the exposed group's growth indices (weight, height, and head circumference) based on whether the mother was infected with COVID-19 during the first, second, or third trimester showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). The birth height of the babies whose mothers infected with COVID-19 in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy was slightly lower than those whose mothers were infected in the third trimester (P = 0.019). Children in the exposed group weighed 76.61 g more than those in the non-exposed group (P = 0.018).

CONCLUSION

More long-term studies in different populations about growth of children are needed to generalized the findings.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable (A cohort study).