Anencephaly and Covid 19: Analysis of a Cases Serie in Mohammed the VI University Hospital of Marrakesh, Morocco

This chapter highlights the relationship between COVID-19 infection and the occurrence of anencephaly since the literature is poor on this issue.

Morocco has experienced, like the whole world, the COVID-19 pandemic. A subjective observation of the increase in the number of anencephaly lead us to conduct an observational study in order to see the relation between the pandemic and the occurrence of anencephaly. Since the teratogenic potential of the SARS Cov 2 virus and the physiopathology of anencephaly is not well documented, this work takes on its full importance.

Aim: The objective of the study is to look for eventual relation between the occurrence of anencephaly and the pandemic. This is a retrospective study (from June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2022 in the Obstetrics Gynecology department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, CADI AYYAD UNIVERSITY Marrakesh Morocco) consisting of the analysis of the number of patients in the target embryonic period (namely the closure of the neural tube: D18 to D30 of embryonic life) compared to the reference curves of the evolution of the SARS Cov2 pandemic. ACE2 receptors required for viral infection are expressed in the placenta, ovaries, uterus and vagina and may be involved in vertical transmission. mother-newborn contact during childbirth or breastfeeding) is possible. The examination of the number of patients in the target embryonic phase reveals that 63% of our anencephalons were born in Morocco during times when the SARS Cov 2 virus was widely disseminated. Our research reveals a connection between the COVID-19 pandemic and the occurrence of anencephaly, but we are unable to identify whether this connection is direct or indirect. Therefore, additional research should be taken into account to more thoroughly examine this association. The results are in favor of the existence of this relationship without providing a clear answer on why and how. Whatever the answer, more focused studies need to be conducted, including prospective randomized clinical trials.