Breastfeeding mothers, infants show no serious side-effects from Pfizer, Moderna COVID19 vaccine: Study
A recent study shows that lactating women vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines show no serious side effects, indicating both vaccines are not ‘red flags’ for breastfeeding mothers and their infants. However, mothers reported a reduction in the quantity of milk produced post vaccination. Details here.
The study encourages lactating women to get the COVID19 vaccine and to continue to breastfeed their infants. Photo: www.unicef.org
A recent study has shown that there’s no marked side-effects manifested in the breastfeeding mothers who have received the doses of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID19 vaccines. The study was conducted by the researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine who also pointed out that no serious side effects were exhibited in breastfed infants as well.
“A mother’s first concern is the safety of her child. Our study, along with previous research, suggests the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are not red flags for breastfeeding mothers and their infants,” Christina Chambers, professor of pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine was quoted as saying.
“Our results should encourage lactating women to get the COVID-19 vaccine and to continue to breastfeed their infants. They do not have to choose one over the other. Both are critical,” she added.
The study published on August 31 in the journal Breastfeeding Medicine, involved 180 breastfeeding women who received both doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.
The results found that more than 85 per cent of the 180 breastfeeding women who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine reported temporary localised symptoms, such as pain, redness, swelling or itching at the injection site, and systemic side effects, including chills, muscle/body aches, fever and vomiting, with higher frequency following the second dose.
Highlighting the benefits of breastfeeding, Chambers said: “Breast milk provides an abundance of nutritional components to infants that provide many health benefits, from stronger immune systems to lower rates of obesity and other conditions and illnesses.”
Meanwhile, a small proportion of women following the first dose of either vaccine brand reported a reduction in milk supply, and significantly more women reported a reduction in milk supply following the second dose of Moderna.
Four months back on May 19, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare allowed COVID19 vaccination for all lactating women in India.