March 21st, 2022
A solid body of scientific evidence accumulated since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago reveals a number of important points that young parents dreaming of starting a family should keep in mind:
• Pregnancy is a major risk factor for serious COVID-19 infections, complications, and death.
• All three COVID vaccines currently available in the United States have proven to be safe and effective for women who are pregnant and who are planning to be pregnant.
• None of the three COVID vaccines threaten fertility. (No plausible mechanism has been suggested for causing such harm.) However, COVID-19 infection can affect fertility, particularly male fertility.
• Pregnant women who are vaccinated transfer protective antibodies through the umbilical cord, protecting their newborns and young infants from getting sick with COVID-19.
• Vaccinated new mothers who go on to breastfeed continue to pass along protective antibodies to their infants and toddlers. In this context, Dr. Brian Donnelly accurately labels breastmilk “nature’s first vaccine”.
Research published in JAMA last month showed that the immunity acquired by newborns when their mothers were vaccinated during pregnancy lasted for six months after delivery. On the other hand, immunity acquired by infants born to mothers who weren’t vaccinated but who had been infected during pregnancy did not persist that long.
Another study, this one published in JAMA Pediatrics last week, showed that mothers who were vaccinated passed along protective antibodies in their breast milk regardless of which vaccine they received. However, of the four vaccines tested — two mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) and two vector-based vaccines (Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca) — the mRNA vaccines proved to be “the optimal choice for lactating women when they want to transfer antibodies to their infants.”
Both studies highlight the critical importance of making sure expectant mothers are fully vaccinated before delivery. Although COVID-19 tends to be mild in children, newborns and infants are more susceptible to severe disease. Current COVID vaccine trials are not including infants under 6 months old, making it especially important to protect this age group. Women who are pregnant can help their babies by getting vaccinated fully (and boosted if eligible) before or during pregnancy. Choosing to breastfeed serves to strengthen and prolong that protection.
Mom protected, baby protected. Win-win.
