Safety and Efficacy of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA Vaccines During Lactation

Obstet Gynecol. 2023 Jan 10. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005093. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTIn this review, we summarize the data on the safety and side-effect profile of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines during lactation to date, review what is known about mRNA vaccine components in breast milk, and discuss the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in providing immune protection for the breastfeeding infant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that lactating individuals receive COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and stay up to date on booster doses, including the bivalent COVID-19 booster. The lack of serious side effects in mothers or infants across numerous large studies and registries of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy and lactation is reassuring. Although small quantities of mRNA may be transiently detectable in breast milk after maternal vaccination, there are no data demonstrating that vaccine mRNA can survive the infant gastrointestinal tract and no evidence that breast milk from lactating individuals who have received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine can cause harm to breastfeeding infants. In contrast, numerous studies demonstrate that the breast milk of vaccinated individuals contains severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific functional antibodies and T cells, which benefit the breastfeeding infant's developing immune system. Transfer of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies fro...
Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology - Category: OBGYN Authors: Source Type: research