COVID-19 vaccination and adverse effects in nursing mothers and their infants

Nursing mothers who received COVID-19 mRNA vaccination experienced adverse events similar to those reported by the general population. COVID-19 vaccination is considered to be safe for nursing mothers and their breastfed infants, according to a new study in the peer-reviewed journal Breastfeeding Medicine. Click here to read the article now.

Dolores Sabina Romero Ramírez, University Hospital Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Spain, and coauthors, found that at least one adverse event was reported by 85% of the vaccinated mothers. The most frequent symptoms were injection site pain, fatigue, tiredness, myalgia, joint pain, and headache. “Of all the events reported during follow-up. 70% were declared as mild and 3% as severe,” stated the investigators.

The most common symptoms reported in the breastfed children were irritability, fever, cough, and nasal congestion. “Although, after vaccination, 31% of the participating mothers observed health events in their infants, these cannot be considered adverse reactions due to the vaccine itself,” noted the investigators. Many events were associated with ongoing respiratory infections.

The symptoms reported here suggest that “the COVID-19 vaccine safety profiles for breastfeeding persons are very much like those for the general population. Neither the mothers nor the infants suffered serious adverse events, and all the participating mothers would recommend vaccination after on month of follow-up,” concluded the investigators.

“This detailed report provides up to date information and support for the recommended policy of providing COVID-19 vaccination for mothers who are breastfeeding their infants. Reassuringly, neither the mothers nor their infants had any increase in adverse events or complications that could be attributed to the vaccination,” says Arthur I. Eidelman, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Breastfeeding Medicine.

About the Journal
Breastfeeding Medicine, the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, is an authoritative, peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal published 10 times per year in print and online. The Journal publishes original scientific papers, reviews, and case studies on a broad spectrum of topics in lactation medicine. It presents evidence-based research advances and explores the immediate and long-term outcomes of breastfeeding, including the epidemiologic, physiologic, and psychological benefits of breastfeeding. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Breastfeeding Medicine website.

About the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) is a worldwide organization of medical doctors dedicated to the promotion, protection, and support of breastfeeding. Our mission is to unite members of the various medical specialties with this common purpose.  For more than 20 years, ABM has been bringing doctors together to provide evidence-based solutions to the challenges facing breastfeeding across the globe. A vast body of research has demonstrated significant nutritional, physiological, and psychological benefits for both mothers and children that last well beyond infancy. But while breastfeeding is the foundation of a lifetime of health and well-being, clinical practice lags behind scientific evidence. By building on our legacy of research into this field and sharing it with the broader medical community, we can overcome barriers, influence health policies, and change behaviors.

About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research. A complete list of the firm’s more than 100 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publisher’s website.