Infographic: How SARS-CoV-2 Might Travel from Mom to Fetus

The virus rarely spreads from mother to child before birth, but it can—and researchers are starting to investigate the path it takes.

Ashley Yeager

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ABOVE: © IKUMI KAYAMA, STUDIO KAYAMA

To better understand how SARS-CoV-2 can pass from a pregnant mother to her unborn child, researchers have been taking a closer look at placentas under the microscope. They’ve analyzed the fetus-supporting tissue not only for the viral infection but also for immune cells that may be trying to prevent transmission. So far, the data suggest that the virus can pass through the placenta and into the fetal blood, but this type of viral transmission is rare.

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Meet the Author

Ashley Yeager
Ashley started at The Scientist in 2018. Before joining the staff, she worked as a freelance editor and writer, a writer at the Simons Foundation, and a web producer at Science News, among other positions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a master’s degree in science writing from MIT. Ashley edits the Scientist to Watch and Profile sections of the magazine and writes news, features, and other stories for both online and print.
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