Different versions of a gene called ACE2 affect how well the placenta grows during pregnancy, a laboratory study finds.

Connected to the developing baby by the umbilical cord, the placenta provides essential oxygen and nutrients until the baby is born. Complications with the placenta can happen during pregnancy ...

Until now, how the virus manages to cross the placenta, which nurtures the developing fetus and forms a strong barrier against microbes and chemicals that could harm the fetus, has not been clear.