Polygenic prediction of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension.

Preeclampsia and gestational hypertension are common pregnancy complications associated with adverse maternal and child outcomes. Current tools for prediction, prevention and treatment are limited. Here we tested the association of maternal DNA sequence variants with preeclampsia in 20,064 cases and 703,117 control individuals and with gestational hypertension in 11,027 cases and 412,788 control individuals across discovery and follow-up cohorts using multi-ancestry meta-analysis.

Novel Targets of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in Human Fetal Brain Development Suggest Early Pregnancy Vulnerability.

Pregnant women are at greater risk of infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), because of their altered immunity and strained cardiovascular system. Emerging studies of placenta, embryos, and cerebral organoids suggest that fetal organs including brain could also be vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Additionally, a case study from Paris has reported transient neurological complications in neonates born to pregnant mothers.