Neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy: a national prospective study in Kuwait.

Background: An increasing proportion of women are infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy. Intrauterine viral infections induce an increase in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, which inhibit the proliferation of neuronal precursor cells and stimulate oligodendrocyte cell death, leading to abnormal neurodevelopment. Whether a maternal cytokine storm can affect neonatal brain development is unclear.