Studies Reveal That the Earlier COVID Vax Is Given to Pregnant Women, the Better It Is for Their Babies
As the COVID pandemic worsens in some parts of the world and a fourth mutant variant is identified, our thoughts turn to vaccinations and how quickly we could all be given one of the various COVID-19 vaccinations available.
In Australia, the vaccination roll out has not yet reached women in the fertility stages of their lives. It has recently been announced that those over 40 may start to make appointments for their COVID vax.
But soon it will be made available to those of us who are either expecting a child, or have plans to conceive. In which case, our biggest concern would be whether it is safe to have the vaccination while pregnant.
It’s only natural to be concerned, after all. These are truly unprecedented times and we don’t want to put our family in harm’s way, especially considering all the negative media about vaccinations in general.
However, now that more trials are being conducted on pregnant women, it is becoming clear just how important it is for mothers-to-be to get their vaccine before they deliver to provide their baby with antibodies. And according to a new study, the earlier that the COVID vaccine is received during pregnancy, the better it is for the baby.
More data to support pregnant people receiving the #CovidVaccine in pregnancy. Vaccine supports the pregnant person AND the newborn!
https://t.co/mZ1kl3iRSP— Dr. Kate White (@DrKateWhite) May 4, 2021
The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, consisted of 27 women and 28 babies – 26 singletons and one set of twins.
The blood of those who were expecting and the umbilical cord blood was tested to see the level of antibodies present.
The new mothers proved to have high levels of antibodies in their blood, showing that they were well protected from COVID, per the study. The babies proved to have mixed results depending upon when the mothers received their vaccination.
For those women who received their vaccines early in the third trimester and completed both rounds of the vaccine, they passed along high levels of antibodies to their babies as shown by the cord blood.
Only three infants (including the set of twins) did not have positive antibodies at birth, and those two women had received their first vaccine less than three weeks prior to delivery.
This led researchers to see that the sooner the vaccines were received in pregnancy, the better-protected newborns were at birth.
It may be quite a while before newborns become eligible to recieve the COVID vaccine, and these vital antibodies from their fully vaccinated mothers give them protection from the virus from the moment they are born.
Just another reason to get our vaccinations as soon as our turn comes!
