Altuntaş, Şükriye LeylaGüneş, ArzuKaplan, Arife AhsenAyşit, NeşeKeskin, İlknur2024-02-162024-02-162024Altuntaş, Ş. L., Güneş, A., Kaplan, A. A., Ayşit, N. ve Keskin, İ. (2024). Unravelling the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy: In aspect of placental histopathology and umbilical cord macrophage immunoactivity with neonatal outcomes. Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 162. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jri.2024.1042070165-03781872-7603https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jri.2024.104207https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12511/12284COVID-19 has turned into a global pandemic since it was first detected in 2019, causing serious public health problems. Our objective was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and newborns, who belong to the vulnerable segments of society. Our study involved the histopathological examination of placentas and umbilical cords from two groups of pregnant women. Group I consisted of pregnant women who had never tested positive for COVID-19 during their pregnancy (n: 20). Group II consisted of pregnant women who had contracted COVID-19, exhibited moderate and mild symptoms, and recovered from the disease before giving birth (n: 23). Furthermore, we employed immunofluorescence techniques to detect macrophage activity in the umbilical cord. Prenatal assessments were based on maternal complete blood counts and coagulation assays (n:40 in both groups). Newborn conditions were evaluated using birth weight, height, head circumference, and APGAR (n:40 in both groups). Our analyses reveal that COVID-19 causes placental and umbilical cord inflammation and maternal and foetal vascular malperfussion. Our immunofluorescence investigations demonstrate a notable increase in macrophage numbers and the macrophage-to-total cell ratio within the COVID-19 group. In this aspect, this study provides the initial report incorporating macrophage activity results from Warton's jelly in pregnants who have recovered from COVID-19. We have also ascertained that COVID-19 abbreviates gestation periods and concurrently diminishes maternal haemoglobin concentrations. Consequently, COVID-19 with mild and moderate symptoms during pregnancy, causes significant changes to the placenta and umbilical cord, but propitiously does not cause a significant difference in the neonatal outcomes.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccessCOVID-19ImmunofluorescenceInflammationMacrophagePlacentaUmbilical CordArticle16210.1016/j.jri.2024.1042072-s2.0-8518402391438301595Q2