|
 According to the research conducted in February, antibodies were
detected in all 20 women administered both doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech
vaccine during their third trimester of pregnancy and in their
newborns, through placental transfer.
"Our findings highlight that vaccination of pregnant women may
provide maternal and neonatal protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection,"
the study said.
The findings by researchers from Jerusalem's Hadassah- University
Medical Center were posted this month on medRxiv - an online
distribution service for unpublished research manuscripts that have
not been peer-reviewed - and reported by Israeli media on Tuesday.
The authors noted the small size of the study and said further
research was necessary to gauge the effect of vaccination at
different stages of pregnancy, and the safety and efficacy of the
different vaccines now available.
[to top of second column] |
 One of the researchers, Dana
Wolf, was quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying
the group will now start looking at how long the
antibodies triggered by the vaccinations will
last in the babies.
Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE said last month they
had started a 4,000-volunteer international
study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness
of their COVID-19 vaccine in healthy pregnant
women.
The trial will also assess whether vaccinated
pregnant women transfer protective antibodies to
their babies.
A separate U.S. study posted last week and also
awaiting peer review, found that the antibodies
induced in pregnant women from mRNA COVID-19
vaccines, such as the Pfizer/BioNTech and
Moderna Inc shots, were transferred to the
babies via the placenta or breast milk.
(Reporting by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Bill
Berkrot)
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