The Covid-19 vaccines have prevented many deaths and severe cases of Covid-19 worldwide. International and national health organizations (such as the WHO, FDA, etc.) and experts recommend it for reproducing age, pregnant and lactating women. A study published in the Science Translational Medicine mentions that it is vital for pregnant and lactating women to respect the timelines for the first and second dose of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines.
The study analyses how pregnant and lactating women’s bodies react to Covid-19 vaccines
The study focused on how pregnant and lactating women respond to mRNA Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. The results showed that the mentioned group had a weaker immune response compared to nonpregnant women. A senior co-author of the study, Andrea Edlow, MD, maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medicine School, declared for the medical news outlet that the purpose of the study was to help provide real data on and, also, to help and reassure skeptical women from the mentioned categories.
Why do pregnant and lactating women’s bodies have slower reactions to the vaccine
According to the researchers, many immunological changes take place when a woman is pregnant or lactating. The changes occur to help the women’s body accept the fetus in the womb and grow and develop. There are also hormonal changes that take place. Because of this, their bodies have a different response to vaccines than nonpregnant women.
Results and conclusions
Pregnant and lactating women are vulnerable to the Covid-19 infection, and only one dose of mRNA Coivd-19 is not enough to offer them robust protection against the virus. The new coronavirus is not the only viral infection that can cause death and severe symptoms in pregnant women. The influenza virus and other viral infections are also dangerous. To conclude, pregnant and lactating women need to get both doses of the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine and follow the strict administration timeline between the two doses.
