Health Care Providers COVID-19 Vaccine Information

COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is effective at protecting pregnant individuals against severe COVID-19 disease, hospitalization, and ICU admission from COVID-19 infection, as well as intubation and mortality in those with severe disease. Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals should receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses as soon as they are able.

In addition to protecting the pregnant individual, the benefits of immunization during pregnancy for the fetus and infants have also been well-documented. Protective antibodies are transferred to the fetus transplacentally, resulting in increased protection for the infant during the early postnatal period when they are not yet eligible for vaccination (CIG, 2023).

Recommendations for vaccination during pregnancy and/or breastfeeding:

• A COVID-19 vaccine may be offered at any stage of the pregnancy (i.e., in any trimester).
• COVID-19 vaccines may be co-administered with other vaccines recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
• NACI strongly recommends that individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses.

There have been no serious safety concerns with receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy or lactation. Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals experience the same rates of expected local and systemic adverse events as individuals who are not pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Vaccination during pregnancy does not increase risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, preterm birth, NICU admission or other adverse pregnancy/birth outcomes. Similarly, studies have not found any negative impact of vaccination on the child being fed human milk or on milk production or excretion. In fact, protective antibodies transferred to the child via breast milk, can help protect the infant during the early postnatal period when they are not yet eligible for vaccination.