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Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are effective for pregnant and breastfeeding women, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
In the study, researchers examined 131 women of childbearing age (84 pregnant, 31 breastfeeding, and 16 non-pregnant), who received the Pfizer / BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, and found that both pregnant and breastfeeding women exhibited a “robust immune response” to vaccines. According to the study, immune responses from vaccines were “significantly greater” than responses to natural COVID-19 infections. In addition, side effects after vaccination were “rare and comparable among study participants,” according to EurekaAlert.
“These vaccines appear to work incredibly effectively in these women,” said one of the study’s authors, Galit Alter, Ph.D., professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and group leader at the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General. Hospital, MIT and Harvard, told CNN. (Yahoo Life contacted the study authors but did not receive a timely response.)
Related Video: Early Studies Show Vaccinated Mothers Pass Antibodies to Babies
Pregnant and breastfeeding women who are vaccinated can also help protect their babies. Antibodies generated by the vaccine were found in all umbilical cord blood and breast milk samples. “The recent study published by the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has shown that when a pregnant or breastfeeding person is vaccinated, the immune response they produce and the antibodies that are developed are transferred to their newborn baby and with it, the newborn’s immune protection is probably sustained ”, Dr Iahn Gonsenhauser, chief quality officer and patient safety officer at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center (who was not involved in the study), told Yahoo Life.
Given that “there is no approved vaccine for newborns and young children and the fact that the vaccine is even less available than necessary to meet current demand, this study offers the possibility of inoculating newborns without further depleting vaccine stocks, ”explains Gonsenhauser.
Pregnant people have a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 compared to those who are not pregnant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they also have an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm delivery. “The impact of COVID19 cannot be underestimated,” says Gonsenhauser. “With loss of life, disruption to the economy and a dangerously stretched health care capacity, the impact has been staggering. While adults have primarily been affected by COVID-19, we know people of all ages are at risk. Although we have seen young children affected, we have yet to fully understand the potential impact on newborns. In view of the increasingly clear safety profile of the vaccines available, the benefit of the protection provided by the vaccine far outweighs the risk of complications or side effects from vaccination. “
For people who are pregnant or breastfeeding and who might be hesitant to get the vaccine, the CDC notes that Moderna and Pfizer are mRNA vaccines that “do not contain the live virus that causes COVID-19 and therefore cannot administer COVID. -19 to someone. . Additionally, mRNA vaccines do not interact with a person’s DNA or cause genetic changes because mRNA does not enter the nucleus of the cell, where our DNA is stored. (You can read more about how COVID-19 mRNA vaccines work here).
Regarding COVID-19 vaccines, Gonsenhauser suggests considering “where your information comes from and make sure it comes from a reputable and sufficiently competent source.” He adds, “There is a lot of misinformation out there, but at this point there is overwhelming evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine for pregnant and breastfeeding women. If you’re still unsure, talk to a healthcare professional you trust. The science and the data are clear. “
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