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ARE BABIES PROTECTED WHEN THEIR MOTHERS GET THE COVID VACCINE?

Pregnant women who have a Covid vaccine pass on their protection to their unborn babies, a study in September 2021 suggested. 

Researchers from New York University took blood samples from 36 babies delivered by mothers given either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Results showed they all had coronavirus-fighting antibodies. Mothers in the second half of their pregnancy had the highest antibody levels in the blood in their umbilical cord, the study found.

Dr Ashley Roman, an obstetrician at NYU and one of the lead authors said: 'If babies could be born with antibodies, it may protect them in the first months of their lives, when they are most vulnerable.'

Children face a tiny risk of falling seriously ill with Covid, a plethora of studies have shown since the pandemic began. But the risk is slightly higher among babies, who have weaker immune systems.

But data from Public Health England (PHE) shows pregnant women in Britain are still hesitant to receive a jab, with just 10 per cent coming forward for an appointment by the end of July — the most recent date data is available for.

This is despite women having been eligible for the vaccine at the same time as the rest of their age group since April.

All studies so far have suggested mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna, are safe for pregnant women, with no proof behind claims they cause stillbirths or defects.

The latest NYU research was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology — Maternal Fetal Medicine.

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