Pregnant people who receive COVID-19 may pass antibodies to their babies

• A new study found that 87% of mothers who discovered COVID-19 antibodies were shared by their newborns through the umbilical cord.
• The findings suggest that it is possible that newborns may develop some protective COVID-19 immunity to maternal infections during pregnancy.
• It also raises questions about whether vaccinating pregnant women helps protect babies from birth infections.
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A new study published Friday in the journal JMA Pediatrics suggests that pregnant women who get Covid-1 get some disease-fighting benefits with their babies.

Covid-1 antibodies were measured in new mothers at a hospital in Pennsylvania last year, and they discovered that their. Their% Newborns have developed measurable antibodies in their placenta. Antibodies have popped up in the arms of both children whose mothers had coronavirus symptoms, and who had none.

This does not mean that newborns whose mothers have Covid-19 are immune to the novel coronavirus, but it is an indication that they may be protected against future infections, especially during the first months of their lives.

The study also found that people who previously had Covid-19 during pregnancy were more likely to have antibodies in the placenta to transfer to their fetus. This aligns with what we know about how long it takes a person’s body to develop antibodies after any coronavirus infection: usually, at least 1-3 weeks.

This study raises questions about whether pregnant women will be vaccinated against COVID-19 and whether it can help protect their newborns.

Given that it is possible for mothers who have covid to pass on some level of viral protection to their babies, it is also possible that “maternal vaccinations can do the same”, said Dr. Blair, an infectious disease specialist at the College of Medicine. , Said in an editorial with the publication of the study on Friday.

How many mothers have already been vaccinated during pregnancy The newborn is temporarily safe From other dangerous but vaccine-preventable diseases, including influenza and whooping cough

It is not yet clear if it will occur in Covid-1, but it is an important question to consider, as there is no coronavirus vaccine for infants and children.

Munoz suggested that “the onset of maternal vaccination begins in the second trimester”, which may be the best time to protect the baby as well as the mother from future infections.

“The timing of maternal vaccination to protect the baby, as opposed to a single mother, will require a sufficient interval from vaccination to delivery (at least 4 weeks),” Munoz added.

Data on pregnant women and the COVID-19 vaccine are scarce

Because pregnant women were deliberately excluded from many COVID-19 vaccine tests, there is still not enough data to rule out the coronavirus vaccine definitively, which is safe for pregnant mothers.

“There’s no data to suggest that these vaccines harm pregnant women – but, there’s not a lot of data,” said immunologist Scott Hansley, who co-authored the study, to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) say that if pregnant women want the vaccine, and are in the preferred position (such as healthcare workers, teachers) should go ahead. .

A member of ACOG’s COVID-19 expert group, Dr. Mark Trerent Nataine told the New York Times that the new study shows how important it is to include more pregnant women in future vaccine tests, “especially when the benefit of vaccination increases the potential risk of fatal disease.”

Pregnant people who contract COVID-19 have a slightly higher risk of developing a serious and fatal coronavirus infection. If you are pregnant and wondering if you should get the coronavirus vaccine, talk to your doctor or vaccine administrator about it.