A new study gives hope for babies entering the world during this pandemic. Hope that they may have a layer of protection against COVID-19 if their mothers pass along COVID antibodies to them.
The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association of Pediatrics found evidence that women who get COVID-19 while pregnant could pass along COVID antibodies to their newborns.
It looked at a study from a hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Out of a little more than 1,500 women who gave birth at the hospital between April and August of 2020, 83 had COVID antibodies, and 72 of the women's babies' umbilical cord blood tested positive for the antibodies.
"Thank goodness. I mean, there are so many unusual features to the Coronavirus, and I think this was something that was just a relief to hear that there is something good about it, that that that immunity could be transferred to an infant from their mother," Dr. Elizabeth Ransom, Executive Vice President and Chief Physician Executive at Baptist Health, said.
The study also found that those who had the infection earlier on in their pregnancy passed along more antibodies to their infants.
"The mother, fetus process is so amazing," Dr. Chirag Patel of the University of Florida Health at Jacksonville said.
"It's such a beautiful thing, and to know that the mother can pass on some level of protection to this newborn, I just think speaks to the amazingness of our human body," Patel said.
Patel said the antibody transfer process works the same way as it does with other vaccines women can get while pregnant: blood holding the antibodies filters through the placenta to the infant.
“It is interesting to see that there is still this transmission, though, from the mother to the fetus, which is promising," he said.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends pregnant women who fall into high-risk categories get the COVID-19 vaccine. The organization also recommends talking to your doctor before doing so though.
According to Patel, if you choose to get the vaccine while pregnant, timing is important.
"The article did cite that that transfer of antibodies can start around mid, your mid-gestation periods, so how long you've been pregnant. So, you want to make sure that you try to time it between that 17 to 20 week mark, and then at least four weeks prior to when you're going to deliver to give your body a chance to make the antibodies and then transfer them over," he said.
"If you get it too early in your pregnancy, you may not transfer as many antibodies, and that's why trying to wait until about mid-pregnancy would be the ideal time to go ahead and get that vaccination," Patel said.
The study stated more research is needed, specifically related to how antibodies formed from the COVID-19 vaccine could be passed along to infants.