Women who receive the Covid vaccine during pregnancy results in longer lasting levels of antibodies in infants, according to a study.
The research - published in JAMA - investigated the levels of coronavirus antibodies that vaccinated expectant mothers passed on to their children, compared to pregnant woman who were unvaccinated.
The comparison study found that babies with vaccinated mothers are more protected against the virus for longer.
The study involved 77 participants who had received an mRNA Covid vaccine during pregnancy, as well as 12 who were infected with the virus at 20-32 weeks gestation.
The research then involved a follow-up between July 21, 2021 and October 22, 2021 when the newborn babies were also analysed.
Blood samples were collected from the mother and umbilical cord at birth, with 49 blood samples also taken from participating babies at two months.
Then after six months, blood was from 28 babies of mothers who were vaccinated and 12 babies of unvaccinated mothers who had been infected with Covid.
To identify the different levels of protection, antibodies from all samples were examined.
After six months, blood was drawn from 28 babies of mothers who were vaccinated and from 12 babies of (unvaccinated) mothers who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2. The researchers measured the Covid-19 antibodies in the samples.
Vaccinated mothers were found to have significantly higher levels of antibodies at delivery when compared to unvaccinated women who got antibodies from coronavirus infection.
Antibody concentrations found in umbilical cord samples were also found to be higher in vaccinated mothers.
The results from infants of vaccinated mothers showed significantly greater antibody persistence than in infants from unvaccinated mothers who had been infected.
Fifty-seven per cent of babies born to vaccinated mothers had detectable levels of antibodies at six months, compared to just one of 12 infants born to unvaccinated mothers.
The researchers say that understanding the persistence of maternal antibody levels is vital as Covid vaccines are not approved for infants and young kids at this time.
Doctor Galit Alter, PhD, co-author of the study, said: “Pregnant women are at extremely high risk for serious complications from Covid.
"And given the lag in [the] development of Covid-19 vaccines for infants, these data should motivate mothers to get vaccinated and even boosted during pregnancy to empower their babies’ defences against Covid".
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