Pregnant women with COVID-19 transmit more antibodies to yet unborn girls than boys, research says

Men are more susceptible to the coronavirus—and this applies even to yet unborn boys.

A new research from Massachusetts General Hospital shows that pregnant women with COVID-19 transmit more antibodies to yet unborn girls than boys.

This study involved 68 expectant mothers who suffered from mild to moderate COVID-19 during their pregnancy.

The body weight of all newborns was within the norm. None of them became infected with the coronavirus from their mother—and this was confirmed by PCR tests.

However, when researchers assessed the levels of maternal and infant neutralizing antibodies in umbilical cord blood samples and placental tissues, considerable differences were found. Accordingly, pregnant women expecting boys had lower levels of antibodies than expectant mothers of girls. In addition, these yet unborn boys received fewer antibodies from their mothers than the yet unborn girls, indicating poorer protection against the coronavirus.

According to researchers, once their mothers catch this disease, boys may develop an inflammatory response from which girls are more protected. Inflammation can also prevent a pregnant woman from developing a full immune response.

It is noteworthy that in the case of catching other major illnesses such as influenza, whooping cough, girls and boys did not have such differences in antibody titers, the researchers added.

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