Strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fetal development and chromosomal abnormalities

ABSTRACT

Background/Objectives: To date, not many studies have been conducted to examine the role of COVID-19 on gestation and fetal development. During COVID-19, pregnant women had difficulty accessing prenatal screening and care due to pandemics restrictions and lockdowns. In this retrospective study we aimed to assess the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak on fetal development in both prenatal and postnatal outcomes pre-and pre-COVID-19 pandemics in Northern Cyprus. Method(s) A total number of 61 aborted materials were karyotyped during the pre-pandemic period (January 2017 and March 2020) whereas 24 samples were analysed during the peripandemic period (March 2020-November 2021). On the other hand, 25 new-borns blood samples during the pre-pandemic and 44 samples during the pre-pandemic period were analysed. Result(s) No statistically significant difference found in health and abnormal aborted material karyotypes between two periods. On the other hand, a statistical significance was observed in postnatal chromosomal abnormalities (P = 0.04) after two long pandemic lockdowns, which are known as the first and the second waves, dramatically indicating that no baby with Down syndrome was between 2017-2020 whereas seven babies with Down Syndrome were born as consequences of without taking precaution against lockdowns. Conclusion(s) Overall, prenatal care is failed which resulting increased postnatal chromosomal abnormality due to heavy flight restrictions, economic inflation instability, limited access to medical services during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in Northern Cyprus.