the pfizer and moderna vaccines are both highly effective at producing antibodies against covid-19 in pregnant women, according to a new study that delivers a bundle of good news to a vulnerable group that was excluded from trials for the experimental medicine.
the research
, published in the american journal of obstetrics and gynecology, also showed that protective immunity from the virus is passed to newborns through the placenta and breastmilk. “this news of excellent vaccine efficacy is very encouraging for pregnant and breastfeeding women, who were left out of the initial covid-19 vaccine trials,”
said andrea edlow
, senior co-author of the study and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at massachusetts general hospital.
“filling in the information gaps with real data is key — especially for our pregnant patients who are at greater risk for complications from covid-19. this study also highlights how eager pregnant and lactating individuals are to participate in research.”
to arrive at their conclusions, researchers studied a group of 131 women — 84 pregnant, 31 lactating and 16 non-pregnant — who had been administered either the pzifer/biontech or moderna vaccines. antibody levels were found to be equivalent across all three groups of women while side effects from the vaccination itself were rare and uniform among all participants. the researchers said they are optimistic their findings will encourage the recruitment of pregnant women for future trials.