COVID Vaccine and Breastfeeding: Safe and Recommended?

Vaccination is an important part of maternal and child health and it is recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated against COVID-19.

But what about breastfeeding women and their babies?

Breastfeeding women, as well as pregnant women, were excluded from the COVID-19 vaccine trial. This means that clinical safety data for this group are still limited.

However, real-world evidence, and ever-increasing studies, suggest that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for breastfeeding women and their children.

“”[Researchers] We were monitoring what was happening to pregnant and lactating women and were not concerned about increased complications or side effects, “said Carlying Rible, an associate professor of nursing and midwifery at Western Sydney University. Stated.

Based on what is known about similar vaccines, Dr. Gribble has no theoretical safety concerns and the COVID-19 vaccine is not considered to pose a risk to lactating women and their babies. I added.

In australia Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for lactating women, And women are advised not to have to stop breastfeeding before and after vaccination.

Unlike pregnancyBreastfeeding does not appear to increase the risk of serious illness due to COVID-19.

However, vaccination reduces the risk that lactating women will become infected with COVID, get sick, and spread the virus to others.

“We recommend vaccination as soon as you qualify. The same is true for breastfeeding women,” said Dr. Gribble.

Effective vaccine for lactating women

Preliminary research found breastfeeding women Produces the same antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine Just like non-lactating people — that is, vaccines are just as effective.

“Their response to the vaccine is unaffected by the fact that they are breast-fed,” Dr. Gribble said.

Also, regarding side effects, some small studies have shown that breastfeeding women have similar experiences to the general population after vaccination with mRNA COVID-19 such as Pfizerjab. ..

Vaccine is not transmitted to breast milk

For many new parents, an important concern about the COVID-19 vaccine is whether the vaccine can be harmful to lactating children.

Fortunately, there is no evidence that the COVID vaccine can infect breast milk.

“”[Scientists] I don’t think the vaccine could get into the milk, but even if it did, it would be digested, “Dr. Gribble said.

Pfizer Jab (and other mRNA vaccines) does not contain live viruses. Instead, it provides a messenger RNA molecule that directs the body to build a replica of the coronavirus peaplomer.

The immune system learns to recognize this spike (and produces antibodies against it), and the highly fragile mRNA quickly breaks down.

University of California Researcher We recently tested the milk of seven women before and after vaccination with the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine... They found no trace of mRNA in their mother’s milk.

Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings, but the researchers found that “vaccine-related mRNA does not infect babies and lactating people vaccinated with a COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccine We will strengthen our current recommendations that we should not stop breastfeeding. “

Antibodies may provide some protection for the baby

In addition to COVID vaccination, which protects breastfeeding women, studies have shown that this vaccine may also have some benefits for babies.

Several small studies have shown that breastfeeding women vaccinated with the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine have antibodies to their milk. This may provide some protection for your baby from illness.

However, more research is needed (currently underway) to determine what protection these antibodies provide.

Preliminary survey conducted last year Antibodies found in breast milk of women infected with COVID-19 I was able to neutralize the virus in the laboratory.

“They actually injected raw SARS-CoV-2 into the milk, which inactivated the virus,” said Dr. Gribble.

“There is really no reason to believe that the antibodies in the milk of vaccinated women do not work as well to deactivate SARS-CoV-2.”

Antibodies that have passed through breast milk from other vaccines can provide short-term protection by being absorbed orally by the baby and preventing the infection before it becomes established, Dr. Gribble said.

“road [breastfeeding women] They provide such protection because they take a bath [child’s] There is milk in the mouth and nasal passages-that is, if you inhale a respiratory virus … the antibodies are hanging and help deactivate them, “she said.

“do not know [if that’s the case for COVID-19]However, there is some evidence that suggests that it may be protective. “

Breastfeeding women are advised to consult their GP regarding COVID-19 vaccination.

Ministry of Health Decision guide If you are considering COVID-19 vaccination and are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.

clock

Time: 1 minute 46 seconds1NS 46NS

Loading form …