The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has profoundly affected global health, presenting unprecedented challenges to pregnant women and their offspring. This paper explores the impacts of COVID-19 on maternal, neonatal, and childhood health, shedding light on both short-term and potential long-term consequences. The transmission of the virus from mother to child, though relatively low compared to other vertically transmitted diseases, remains a subject of ongoing study. Maternal COVID-19 infection during pregnancy is linked to adverse outcomes such as preterm delivery, cesarean section, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Additionally, COVID-19 infection appears to influence placental pathology, raising concerns about fetal development and health in the long term. The pandemic has exacerbated maternal mental health challenges, including an increased prevalence of postpartum depression. Infants born to mothers with COVID-19 may experience lower neonatal weight, reduced head circumference, and a heightened risk of complications. Long-term health effects on children, including cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, remain areas of active investigation. Comprehensive research is vital to understand the magnitude of these risks and develop effective strategies for preventing and managing COVID-19 in pregnant women. Prioritizing the health and well-being of pregnant women and their offspring is critical in mitigating the enduring effects of the pandemic on maternal, neonatal, and childhood outcomes.

Single-seeded fruit of the sacred lotus Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn var. China Antique from NE China have viability as long as ~1300 years determined by direct radiocarbon-dating, having a germination rate of 84%. The pericarp, a fruit tissue that encloses the single seeds of Nelumbo, is considered one of the major factors that contribute to fruit longevity. Proteins that are heat stable and have protective function may be equally important to seed viability. We show proteins of Nelumbo fruit that are able to withstand heating, 31% of which remained soluble in the 110°C-treated embryo-axis of a 549-yr-old fruit and 76% retained fluidity in its cotyledons. Genome of Nelumbo is published. The amino-acid sequences of 11 "thermal proteins" (soluble at 100°C) of modern Nelumbo embryo-axes and cotyledons, identified by mass spectrometry, Western blot and bioassay, are assembled and aligned with those of an archaeal-hyperthermophile Methancaldococcus jannaschii (Mj; an anaerobic methanogen having a growth optimum of 85°C) and with five mesophile angiosperms. These thermal proteins have roles in protection and repair under stress. More than half of the Nelumbo thermal proteins (55%) are present in the archaean Mj, indicating their long-term durability and history. One Nelumbo protein-repair enzyme exhibits activity at 100°C, having a higher heat-tolerance than that of Arabidopsis. A list of 30 sequenced but unassembled thermal proteins of Nelumbo is supplemented.