Pregnant women are among the priority targets for vaccination. In the latter, messenger RNA technology vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) trigger strong immune responses that protect future mothers and newborns against severe forms of the coronavirus.
Vaccination has been open to pregnant women since the beginning of April. This category of the population is considered at risk from Covid-19. A study published March 31 in the medical journal The Lancet states that the virus during pregnancy may be “associated with consistent and substantial increases in severe maternal morbidity and neonatal complications.” Asked by RMC, Professor Olivier Picone, obstetrician gynecologist at Colombes hospital, in Hauts-de-Seine recognizes the risks for pregnant women “What is clearly demonstrated now is that a pregnant woman compared to another non-pregnant of the same age has a higher risk of complications, a higher risk of having mechanical ventilation or of going to intensive care.. Faced with this danger, Dr Picone recommends vaccination for pregnant women. However, doubts also remain around vaccines. Are they safe for expectant mothers? Since pregnant women were not included in the phase 3 trials.
But a new study operated by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association sweeps away doubts around vaccines, more specifically those related to ARN Messager (Pfizer-BioNTech & Moderna). The latter would provide pregnant and breastfeeding women with strong immunity against Covid-19 in addition to passing on the vaccine antibodies to infants.
Antibodies to the vaccine detectable in cord blood and breast milk
To reach these conclusions, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center conducted an exploratory and descriptive cohort study in women aged 18 to 45. The latter had received a vaccine against Covid-19 between December 2020 and March 2021. In total, nearly 103 women participated in the study (54% received Pfizer-BioNTech and 46% received Moderna). Of these 103 people, 30 were pregnant, 16 breastfeeding and 57 were neither pregnant nor breastfeeding. Researchers found similar levels of vaccine-induced antibody function in pregnant, lactating and non-pregnant women.
How is the vaccine possible for the newborn to work? The mother is immunized. The antibodies made by the mother will subsequently protect the fetus. “Binding and neutralizing antibodies have also been observed in the umbilical cord blood and breast milk of infants. Binding and neutralizing antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7 (English variant) and B.1.351 (South African variant) of concern were reduced “, can we read in the study.
