Parvovirus B19 Infection in Pregnancy: Perinatal Outcomes Derived from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Parvovirus B19 infection in pregnancy is associated with high perinatal morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, no significant differences were observed in the rate of intrauterine demise during the recent outbreak of the disease (2023-2024) compared to the previous waves. In clinical practice, findings from this systematic review can inform patients about the rate of adverse outcomes, depending on their status (maternal or fetal infection, or fetal infection requiring IUT). In cases of maternal infection, the rate of intrauterine demise is much lower than in the case of confirmed fetal infection. Finally, the high rate of abnormal brain findings when fetal MRI was performed in cases of IUT, may be relevant to clinicians as reflecting the potential role of adding this second-level imaging method to improve prenatal diagnosis of these cases. Large multicenter studies are needed to evaluate the impact of prenatal therapeutic interventions and the role of prenatal neuroimaging in these cases.