Adverse outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant mice are gestational age-dependent and resolve with antiviral treatment (preprint)

ABSTRACT

SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is associated with severe COVID-19 and adverse fetal outcomes, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Moreover, clinical studies assessing therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy are limited. To address these gaps, we developed a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. Outbred CD1 mice were infected at embryonic day (E) 6, E10, or E16 with a mouse adapted SARS-CoV-2 (maSCV2) virus. Outcomes were gestational age-dependent with greater morbidity, reduced pulmonary function, reduced anti-viral immunity, greater viral titers, and more adverse fetal outcomes occurring with infection at E16 (3rd trimester-equivalent) than with infection at either E6 (1st trimester-equivalent) or E10 (2nd trimester-equivalent). To assess the efficacy of ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir (recommended for pregnant individuals with COVID-19), we treated E16-infected dams with mouse equivalent doses of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir. Treatment reduced pulmonary viral titers, decreased maternal morbidity, and prevented adverse offspring outcomes. Our results highlight that severe COVID-19 during pregnancy and adverse fetal outcomes are associated with heightened virus replication in maternal lungs. Ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir mitigated adverse maternal and fetal outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings prompt the need for further consideration of pregnancy in preclinical and clinical studies of therapeutics against viral infections.