CDC Study Reveals That Pregnant Women Who Get Vaccinated Pass Down Antibodies To Their Infants

The CDC is doubling down on their recommendation for pregnant women to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

In a new study, it was found that those who got both doses of Pfizer or Moderna's shots at least 14 days before delivery passed down antibodies to their babies.

The report noted that mothers who received one or both shots prior to becoming pregnant weren't looked at, and neither were women who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The study also revealed that babies whose mothers were vaccinated were 61 percent less likely to be hospitalized with the virus within the first six months of their lives. Additionally, 84 percent of infants hospitalized with COVID were born to unvaccinated women.

"The bottom line is that maternal vaccination is a really important way to help protect these young infants," stated Dr. Dana Meaney-Delman, Chief of Infant Outcomes Monitoring Research and Prevention Branch. "Today’s news is highly welcome, particularly in the backdrop of the recent increase in hospitalizations among very young children. This has been the highest of the entire pandemic."

"Unfortunately, vaccination of infants younger than six months old is not currently on the horizon, which is why vaccination during pregnancy is so important for young infants," she continued. "COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been and continues to be strongly recommended by CDC and by many medical organizations serving pregnant people."

The doctor noted that the CDC is also recommending that pregnant women receive a booster shot, as should anyone who is currently breastfeeding.

Because of timing, the study didn't look at the effects that the vaccine has on infants whose mothers were vaccinated prior to conceiving, but Meaney-Delman stated "it’s really a good idea" to get vaccinated now if you want to get pregnant in the future.

"I’m not aware of specifically immune protection of infants from women who are vaccinated prior to pregnancy, but I do want take this moment to emphasize one point, which is getting COVID during pregnancy is associated with severe illness. So there’s a huge benefit to the pregnancy and to having a healthy mother of getting vaccinated prior to pregnancy," she explained. "So I don’t want us to lose sight of that piece. While we don’t know that there’s actual immune protection conferred, we know that might protect a mom from getting COVID during pregnancy, which is associated, as I mentioned, with preterm birth, with stillbirth with pregnancy complications."

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