Safety and Effectiveness of Maternal COVID-19 Vaccines Among Pregnant People and Infants

Katherine E Fleming-Dutra; Lauren Head Zauche; Lauren E Roper; Sascha R Ellington; Christine K Olson; Andrea J Sharma; Kate R Woodworth; Naomi Tepper; Fiona Havers; Sara E Oliver; Evelyn Twentyman; Tara C Jatlaoui

doi:10.1016/j.ogc.2023.02.003

Safety and Effectiveness of Maternal COVID-19 Vaccines Among Pregnant People and Infants

Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2023 Jun;50(2):279-297. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2023.02.003. Epub 2023 Feb 21.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop H24-9 Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. Electronic address: ftu2@cdc.gov.
² Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
³ National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop H24-9 Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
⁴ Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁵ Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA; U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁶ Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁷ U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁸ National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop H24-9 Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁹ U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Atlanta, GA, USA; Immunization Services Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Abstract

Evidence has consistently demonstrated that COVID-19 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are safe when given during pregnancy. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines protect pregnant people and their infants who are too young to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Although generally protective, monovalent vaccine effectiveness was lower during SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant predominance, in part due to changes in the Omicron spike protein. Bivalent vaccines, that combine ancestral strain and Omicron variant, may improve protection against Omicron variants. Everyone, including pregnant people, should stay up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccines and bivalent booster, when eligible.

Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine; Infants; Maternal vaccination; Pregnancy; Vaccine effectiveness; Vaccine safety; mRNA vaccines.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Family
Female
Humans
Infant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / prevention & control
SARS-CoV-2

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines

Supplementary concepts

SARS-CoV-2 variants