Low-level SARS-CoV-2 viremia coincident with COVID placentitis and stillbirth.

ABSTRACT

SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and COVID placentitis are associated with an increased risk of stillbirth. We sought to investigate the presence of maternal viremia in people with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy who had histologic placentitis versus those without placentitis. SARS-CoV-2 qRT-PCR was performed on plasma from 6 patients with COVID placentitis and 12 matched controls without placentitis. SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred between 4/2020-1/2021; the latency between SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and delivery was 0-76 days. Two placentitis cases demonstrated viremia (1 stillbirth and 1 well infant), while 12/12 controls were negative. Future research may consider viremia as a possible marker of COVID placentitis.