The findings also suggest that vaccinating pregnant women could also protect unborn babies, the researchers said – and the possibility is worth exploring. Pregnant women are advised to receive flu vaccines to protect both themselves and their babies.
Newborn Dr. Dustin Flannery of Philadelphia Children’s Hospital and colleagues studied more than 1,400 mothers and newborns. They found that protective IgG antibodies were transferred across the placenta to 72 of 83 infected or previously infected pregnant women they studied.
None of the children of infected mothers developed coronavirus infection. And 60% of women who had antibodies to coronavirus had no symptoms, the researchers reported.
“Could maternal antibodies help delay the onset of infection or protect the baby from becoming infected, having severe illness, or dying from COVID-19?” asked Dr. Flor Munoz, a molecular virologist at Baylor College of Medicine, who was not involved in the research.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends immunizing children against the flu at six months, for example, even if mothers have been vaccinated during pregnancy.
“To what extent can antibodies transferred through breast milk protect breastfed infants?” Munoz asked.
“Should infants be vaccinated regardless of maternal infection and, if so, what is the best time to initiate infant vaccines? Is there a potential adverse effect of maternal antibodies on infants’ responses to active immunization? And what would be the optimal vaccine and diet? vaccination for infants, given their unique immunological risk and needs? “