SPECIAL REPORT | VOLUME 17/ISSUE 2, MARCH 2021

Neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection: is this a vertical transmission?

Neonatal COVID-19, its manifestations and transmission, remains unclear. As the pandemic continues more evidence will emerge but so far, vertical transmission of COVID-19 is rare with just a few reports in the literature.¹ We share our experience of managing a preterm newborn with COVID-19 in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where the vertical route seems the most likely mode of transmission.

Femi Adeniyi
ST6 Paediatrics
femi.adeniyi@nhs.net

Sanjeev Rath
Neonatal Consultant
s.rath@nhs.net

Yewande Wey
MTI Fellow
yewande.wey@nhs.net

Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

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Keywords

loss; bereavement; breastfeeding; lactation; milk bank; milk donation

Key points

Bereaved mothers who were breastfeeding have to cope with the physical effects of acute cessation of lactation while grieving for the loss of their baby.
Understanding lactation science is essential in order to best help mothers during this difficult time.
Non-pharmacological and pharmacological methods to aid lactation suppression are reviewed alongside the role of lactation continuation and donation of expressed breast milk.