An Update on COVID-19 Vaccination and Pregnancy

Abstract

Pregnant women are more prone to experience severe COVID-19 disease, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission, use of invasive ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and mortality compared to non-pregnant individuals. Additionally, research suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth, preeclampsia, and stillbirth, as well as adverse neonatal outcomes, including hospitalization and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. This review assessed the available literature from November 2021 to 19 March 2023, concerning the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. COVID-19 vaccination administered during pregnancy is not linked to significant adverse events related to the vaccine or negative obstetric, fetal, or neonatal outcomes. Moreover, the vaccine has the same effectiveness in preventing severe COVID-19 disease in pregnant individuals as in the general population. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccination is the safest and most effective method for pregnant women to protect themselves and their newborns from severe COVID-19 disease, hospitalization, and ICU admission. Thus, vaccination should be recommended for pregnant patients. While the immunogenicity of vaccination in pregnancy appears to be similar to that in the general population, more research is needed to determine the optimal timing of vaccination during pregnancy for the benefit of the neonate.

COVID-19 Bivalent Booster in Pregnancy: Maternal and Neonatal Antibody Response to Omicron BA.5, BQ.1, BF.7 and XBB.1.5 SARS-CoV-2

“…Although there is variation of vaccination strategies among different countries [ 33 ], according to current vaccination guidelines for individuals aged 12 and above in the United States and the World Health Organization, there should be at least an 8-week interval between the administration of the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and the subsequent mRNA bivalent COVID-19 vaccine [ 34 ]. The time strategy can assure vaccine efficacy and reduce the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis associated with vaccination.…”

COVID-19 vaccine induced poor neutralization titers for SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants in maternal and cord blood

“…Similar to previously published studies, our results demonstrate that two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy was able to generate a robust IgG response, with almost all maternal and cord samples demonstrating detectable anti-RBD-IgG antibodies ( 21 ). The vaccine is equally effective in eliciting an antibody response in individuals as it is in the general population ( 22 ). However, unlike the natural infection ( 5 , 7 , 8 ), when the IgG antibody titers were compared, the cord blood induced higher levels of antibody for both wild-type Wuhan and Omicron, respectively, compared to paired maternal samples.…”

COVID-19 Vaccines and Assisted Reproductive Techniques: A Systematic Review

“…Similarly, long-term pregnancy outcomes are extremely scant. Many studies have proven the safety of COVID-19 vaccines before conception and during pregnancy [ 66 ]. However, ART pregnancies are not studied independently.…”