Table 3.

Characteristics of SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV included studies. Calculated: when gestation at birth was calculated according to timeline of events, VD: vaginal delivery, CS: Caesarean section, PCR: polymerase chain reaction, IHC: immunohistochemistry.

Study	Number of women	Clinical data	Mothers SARS/MERS positive	Method of delivery and gestational age at birth	Investigations	Results
Jeong SY et al., 2017 MERS-CoV	1	Placental abruption. Normal birthweight (3140 g). Apgar score 9 at 5 min. Neonate tested negative for MERS-CoV.	Yes, tested positive 16 days before delivery.	CS 37 + 5 weeks	PCR on placenta and cord blood, antibody detection in neonate. RT-PCR on nasopharyngeal swab and peripheral blood from newborn.	Placenta and cord blood tested negative. Placental abruption. No MERS-CoV antibodies IgM, IgG or IgA were found in the neonate.
Jiang X et al., 2004 SARS-CoV-1	1	No evidence of pregnancy complications. Suspected SARS prompted termination of pregnancy.	Yes, tested positive, 17 days before termination.	Termination of pregnancy 8 months (calculated)	SARS-IgG detection kit, indirect immunofluorescence, ELISA on serum/plasma, Western blot on nucleocapsid “N" protein on maternal blood, cord blood, amniotic fluid, PCR on maternal blood, cord blood and amniotic fluid.	Western blot showed n protein in IgG in maternal blood, cord blood and amniotic fluid. IFA also positive. No SARS-CoV genes detected in maternal blood, umbilical blood, or fluid using a SARS virus fluorescence qPCR.
Ng WF et al., 2006 SARS-CoV-1	7	No evidence of pregnancy complications, but two cases with oligohydramnios. Two maternal deaths. Methylprednisolone given to 4 patients. Four AGA. One pregnancy electively terminated. Two infants had suspected fetal growth restriction; both were small for gestational age. All term infants had Apgar score of 9 or 10 at 5 min. All the neonates were negative for SARS-CoV-1 after “investigations"	Yes, tested positive 1 x same week as delivery, 1 × 1 week before, 1 × 5 weeks before, 1 × 7 weeks before, 1 × 35 weeks before delivery. Termination of pregnancy = 3 weeks before.	4 CS, 2 VD, 1 termination of pregnancy Termination of pregnancy at 15 weeks, 26–38 weeks	Placental pathology. “Investigations” for SARS-CoV-1 infection.	P1: gestation = 28 weeks, prominent intervillous fibrin, maternal death. P2: gestation = 32 weeks prominent intervillous fibrin and increased calcification, maternal death. P3: gestation = 26 weeks, focal subchorionic fibrin. P4: gestation = 33 weeks, accelerated villous maturation and avascular villi (19%), stem villi vessel obliteration, hyalinised stroma, calcification, haemosiderin granules, accelerated villous maturity with increased SNA and capillarisation. P5: gestation = 37 weeks, avascular villi (8%), infarcts (9%), increased calcification. P6: Gestation at termination: 15 weeks, increased calcification. P7: gestation: 38 weeks, normal placenta. P4+5 lesions account for around 50% of placenta. Erythroblasts found in three placentas. Two had low placental weight.
Robertson CA et al., 2004 SARS-CoV-1	1	Gestational diabetes, placenta previa. Normal birthweight (3145 g). 5 min Apgar score 9.	Yes, tested positive 26 weeks before delivery.	CS 38 weeks	RT-PCR on placenta, cord blood and amniotic fluid. IHC staining on placenta for SARS. Cord blood tested for antibodies.	Cord blood tested positive for antibodies. Placenta, cord blood and amniotic fluid tested negative. Placenta was negative for IHC SARS. Gross and microscopic inspection of the placenta did not show major abnormalities.
Shek CC et al., 2003 SARS-CoV-1	5	No evidence of pregnancy complications. Four cases had hydrocortisone. Three cases had methylprednisolone. All neonates tested negative. One infant small for gestational age. Infants had Apgar scores of 7–10 at 5 min.	Yes, all 5 tested positive; 3 x between 6 and 7 days of fever onset,1 × 6 weeks, 1 x 7 weeks.	Not specified 26–37 weeks	RT-PCR on placental swab. Tested neonatal samples.	All samples tested negative.
Stockman et al., 2004 SARS-CoV-1	1	Elevated blood glucose, early spontaneous rupture of membranes, fetal distress. Fetal distress, Apgar: 7 at 1 min, 8 at 5 min. Neonate tested negative.	Yes, tested positive 23 weeks before delivery.	CS 36 weeks	Tested neonatal nasopharyngeal swab by PCR. Tested placenta and cord blood for antibodies.	All samples tested negative.
Wong SF et al., 2004 SARS-CoV-1	12 (only 5 placentas examined).	No evidence of pregnancy complications, but 2 maternal deaths (in those who contracted disease in late pregnancy). Two patients had oligohydramnios. 4/7 diagnosed in 1st trimester miscarried and 2 had termination of pregnancies, one 1st trimester diagnosis successful ongoing pregnancy. Hydrocortisone (10/12 patients), methylprednisolone (9/12) and oral prednisolone (10/12). Two SGA, 3 AGA, one spontaneous preterm birth. Neonates tested negative.	Yes, all 12 tested positive (5 successful deliveries tested positive), 2 x same week as delivery, 1 × 1 week, 1 × 5 weeks, 1 x 7 weeks	3 miscarriages, 3 pregnancies ongoing, 4 CS, one VD 26–37 weeks.	Placental histology, RT-PCR of neonatal samples, cord blood, placental tissue, and amniotic fluid.	Three placentas were normal, two FGR placentas had avascular thrombotic terminal villi with thrombotic vasculopathy in some stem villi. Placental infarction (10%) was evident in one placenta. No placentas showed chorioamnionitis, funisitis, villitis, viral inclusion, or other features of infection. No significant erythroblastosis was noted. All samples tested negative for nucleic acids.
Yudin MH et al., 2005 SARS-CoV-1	1	No evidence of pregnancy complications. Methylprednisolone and prednisolone. Live female infant, normal birthweight 3086 g. Apgar score 9 at 5 min. Neonate tested negative.	Yes, tested positive, 6 weeks before delivery, (Antibodies in blood samples positive, original nasopharyngeal and throat swabs negative).	VD 39 + 2 weeks	RT-PCR on amniotic fluid, placenta, membranes, cord blood. Neonatal nasopharyngeal and throat swabs.	Umbilical cord, cord blood, fetal membrane, placenta, and amniotic fluid (aspirated from vagina) all tested negative.