Houston Republic

While there are plenty of things to worry about when it comes to having a newborn, a severe case of COVID-19 may not be one of them, according to a Nov. 9 study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. 

The study observed newborns in the United Kingdom and found that of 10,000 babies, 66 were infected with COVID-19, and 28 of those had cases considered severe.

The researchers further found that nearly a quarter of the 66 COVID-positive babies were born prematurely, over half were white, 21% were of Asian ethnicity and 12% were from Black ethnic groups. 

Of the positive babies, 17 tested positive for the virus within a week of being born to mothers who were COVID-positive perinatally. Two more babies had tested positive within 12 hours of being born to mothers who were positive. 

Overall the study found that a neonatal COVID-19 infection in babies admitted to the hospital is uncommon. 

The vast majority (88%) of the 66 COVID-positive newborns were discharged from the hospital by the end of the study. 

Additionally, the study stated that 99% of the neonatal COVID-19 cases were suspected to have been transmitted nosocomially, or within the hospital, and suggested that facilities review their procedures for infectious patient isolation. 

"Further research is required to understand the effects of hospital visiting restrictions on the nosocomial spread of this and other highly transmissible viruses," the study said.

One consideration of COVID-19 in infants that had not been studied, scientists noted, is the relationship between breast-feeding and the transmission of the virus.

The study's authors said that the findings support avoiding "routine separation of mother and baby and ensure that new parents can make informed decisions about neonatal care."

The researches also said that the long-term effects of exposure to COVID-19 at the newborn stage are known, and "ongoing data collection, linkage, and follow-up are crucial."