A Baby With Protective Antibodies Was Born to a Mom Who Got a Covid-19 Vaccine
Florida researchers find more great news for pregnant people
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No pregnant person’s birth plan was to deliver their baby during a global pandemic. The more than 3.7 million individuals who give birth in the United States per year are looking for answers regarding Covid-19 vaccination during pregnancy.
A new preprint study from the Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine shows more great news about vaccination during pregnancy. Their research confirmed the first known case of a baby born with detectable protective antibodies after maternal Covid-19 vaccination.
The paper, titled “Newborn Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 detected in cord blood after maternal vaccination,” follows the clinical course of a pregnant health care worker who received the first dose of the Moderna mRNA vaccine. Florida Atlantic University offered all front-line health care workers the vaccine. The mother had no previous known Covid-19 infection, and she qualified for and received her vaccination in week 36 of her pregnancy.
Three weeks later, she had a spontaneous vaginal delivery at term (39 weeks gestation). After delivery, she received her second dose, as per Moderna’s standard 28-day vaccine process. When the baby was born, the research team tested the healthy female infant’s umbilical cord blood for the presence of Covid-19 antibodies. The results showed a high level of IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
These findings are not surprising. Other vaccines given during pregnancy, like Tdap and influenza, are known to transmit immunity from mom to baby. Both influenza and Tdap vaccines reduce the risk for newborn babies who are too young to get vaccinated. These vaccines transfer antibodies from mom to baby through the placenta, protecting infants until they are old enough to receive their own vaccinations.
The placenta is the organ inside the uterus that keeps the baby alive. Maternal blood circulates through this internal filtration system, allowing the growing baby to get oxygen and nutrients from the mother. The placenta removes carbon dioxide and waste products while also serving as the defense system against…
