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Pregnancy COVID Shot Shields Newborns From Infection
25 Mar
Summary
- COVID vaccines during pregnancy pass antibodies to newborns.
- Vaccination in pregnancy doesn't raise infant infection risk.
- Study confirms protection for infants under 6 months old.
COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to protect newborns. A recent study published in Pediatrics provides further evidence of this benefit, tracking over 140,000 infants. The research indicates that antibodies passed from vaccinated mothers to their babies offer protection against COVID-19 in the crucial first months of life.
This comprehensive study, conducted in Norway from March 2020 to December 2023, found that infants whose mothers received the COVID vaccine during pregnancy were significantly less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 in their first two months. Importantly, the study also demonstrated that maternal COVID vaccination did not increase the risk of other types of infections in infants, countering claims of potential immune dysregulation.
While babies under six months experience high COVID hospitalization rates, the vaccine administered during pregnancy provides a protective shield. The findings support existing recommendations from medical organizations and offer reassurance regarding the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant individuals and their infants. The study was funded by the University of Oslo and a Scandinavian government agency.
