Placental Passage of Humulone and Protopine in an Ex Vivo Human Perfusion System

The placental passage of humulone and protopine was investigated with a human ex vivo placental perfusion model. The model was first validated with diazepam and citalopram, 2 compounds known to cross the placental barrier, and antipyrine as a positive control. All compounds were quantified by partially validated U(H)PLC-MS/MS bioanalytical methods. Only a small portion of humulone initially present in the maternal circuit reached the fetal circuit. The humulone concentration in the maternal circuit rapidly decreased, likely due to metabolization in the placenta. Protopine was transferred from the maternal to the fetal circuit, with a steady-state reached after 90 min. None of the study compounds affected placental viability or functionality, as glucose consumption, lactate production, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, and leptin release remained constant. Histopathological evaluation of all placental specimens showed unremarkable, age-appropriate parenchymal maturation with no pathologic findings.

Sertraline concentrations in pregnant women are steady and the drug transfer to their infants is low

Purpose Sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is one of the most commonly used antidepressant during pregnancy. Plasma sertraline concentrations vary markedly between individuals, partly explained by variability in hepatic drug metabolizing cytochrome P450-enzyme activity. Our purpose was to study the variability in the plasma concentrations in pregnant women and the passage to their infants. Method Pregnant women with moderate untreated depression were recruited in 2016–2019 in Stockholm Region and randomized to treatment with sertraline or placebo. All received Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy as non-medical treatment. Sertraline plasma concentrations were measured around pregnancy weeks 21 and 30, at delivery, 1-month postpartum, in cord blood and at 48 h of age in the infant. The clinical course of the infants was followed. Results Nine mothers and 7 infants were included in the analysis. Median dose-adjusted sertraline concentration in second trimester was 0.15(ng/mL) /(mg/day), in third trimester and at delivery 0.19 and 1-month postpartum 0.25, with a 67% relative difference between second trimester and postpartum. The interindividual variation was 10-fold. Median concentrations in the infants were 33% and 25% of their mothers’, measured in cord blood, and infant plasma, respectively. Only mild and transient adverse effects were seen on the infants. Conclusion Placental passage of sertraline to the infant is low. However, the interindividual variation in maternal concentrations during pregnancy is huge, why therapeutic drug monitoring might assist in finding the poor metabolizers at risk for adversity and increase the safety of the treatment. Trial registration The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov July 9, 2014 with TRN: NCT02185547.

Newborn antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 detected in cord blood after maternal vaccination – a case report

Background Maternal vaccination for Influenza and Tetanus, Diphtheria, acellular Pertussis (TDaP) have been well studied in terms of safety and efficacy for protection of the newborn by placental passage of antibodies. Similar newborn protection would be expected after maternal vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is a significant and urgent need for research regarding safety and efficacy of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Case presentation A vigorous, healthy, full-term female was born to a COVID-19 naïve mother who had received a single dose of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 3 weeks prior to delivery. IgG cord blood antibodies were detected to SARS-CoV-2 at the time of birth. Conclusion Here, we report the first known case of an infant with SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies detectable in cord blood after maternal vaccination.

Newborn Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 detected in cord blood after maternal vaccination

BackgroundMaternal vaccination for Influenza and TDaP have been well studied in terms of safety and efficacy for protection of the newborn by placental passage of antibodies. Similar newborn protection would be expected after maternal vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus responsible for COVID-19). There is a significant and urgent need for research regarding safety and efficacy of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Here, we report the first known case of an infant with SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies detectable in cord blood after maternal vaccination.Case presentationA vigorous, healthy, full-term female was born to a COVID-19 naïve mother who had received a single dose of mRNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 three weeks prior to delivery. Cord blood antibodies (IgG) were detected to the S-protein of SARS-CoV-2 at time of delivery.ConclusionHere, we report the first known case of an infant with SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies detectable in cord blood after maternal vaccination.

Environmental contaminants and child’s growth

Experimental data have suggested that some contaminants in the environment may increase the risk of obesity. Infants can be exposed to chemicals either prenatally, by trans-placental passage of chemicals, or postnatally by their own diet and by other external pathways (air inhalation, dust, hand-to-mouth exposure) after birth. To provide a review of epidemiological evidence on the association between prenatal exposure to chemicals and prenatal and postnatal growth, we present the literature from systematic review articles and international meta-analyses, when available, or recent research articles when summarizing articles were not available. The most studied contaminants in this field were persistent organic pollutants (e.g. organochlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls), non-persistent pollutants (e.g. phthalates, bisphenol A), toxic heavy metals (i.e. cadmium, lead and mercury), arsenic, mycotoxins and acrylamide. Mounting evidence suggests that child’s growth may be associated with prenatal or postnatal exposures to environmental contaminants. Improving exposure assessment and studying the contaminants as mixtures should allow to gain knowledge about the environmental determinants of growth and obesity.