What to Expect from COVID-19 and from COVID-19 Vaccine for Expecting or Lactating Women

Abstract

Recent studies identified pregnancy as a high-risk condition for the development of maternal-fetal complications in the case of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, the scientific community is now considering pregnant women a “fragile” category that should be vaccinated with high priority. The number of pregnant women undergoing hospitalization since summer 2021, including Intensive Care Unit admission, is growing, as well as the risk of preterm birth. Evidence from both animals and humans suggest that, similarly to other vaccines routinely administered in pregnancy, COVID-19 vaccines are not crossing the placenta, do not increase the risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, stillbirth, the birth of small gestational age neonates, as well as the risk of congenital abnormalities. To date, the World Health Organization and scientific literature are promoting and encouraging the vaccination of all pregnant and lactating women. The aim of our narrative review is to present the available literature regarding this issue with the aim to provide appropriate answers to the most frequent requests, doubts, and fears that have led many expecting and lactating women not to become vaccinated during this pandemic period.

Keywords

• SARS-CoV-2
• COVID-19 during pregnancy
• pregnancy
• lactating
• vaccination
• vaccine hesitancy