During Omicron phase, neonatal mortality twice among those born of unvaccinated mothers than those born of vaccinated mothers: Study

This large, prospective, observational study was conducted across 18 countries and enrolled 4707 neonates born to mothers diagnosed with COVID-19. The study compared neonates of vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers, aiming to assess the impact of COVID-19 in pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes, as well as vaccine effectiveness.

Findings and Implications

The paper found that vaccination of pregnant women decreased the risk for severe COVID-19-related complications and maternal morbidity and mortality. Specifically, newborns of unvaccinated mothers had an increased risk of neonatal death, while newborns of vaccinated mothers had a decreased risk for preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes. The study indicated that neonates of boostervaccinated mothers had less than half the risk of being diagnosed with COVID-19 compared with those of unvaccinated mothers, along with the lowest rates of preterm birth, medically indicated preterm birth, respiratory distress syndrome, and number of days in the neonatal intensive care unit. Furthermore, the protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination decreased with time, emphasizing the importance of vaccinating pregnant women closer to the expected date of delivery. The study also found that none of the neonatal practices studied, including skin-to-skin contact and direct breastfeeding, increased the risk for infecting newborns.

Importance of Maternal Vaccination

The paper emphasized the importance of maternal vaccination in protecting newborns against COVID-19 and highlighted the need for vaccinating pregnant women no more than 14 weeks before the expected delivery date to ensure maximal protection for newborns. The study also provided insights into the vaccine effectiveness with different types of vaccines and highlighted the benefits of booster vaccinations. Overall, the research paper presented valuable findings that contribute to the understanding of the impact of COVID-19 during pregnancy on neonatal outcomes and the protective effects of maternal COVID-19 vaccination, particularly during the Omicron variant period. These findings have significant implications for public health policies and interventions aimed at safeguarding the health of both mothers and newborns during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Points

1. The research paper from the INTERCOVID-2022 study investigated the impact of COVID-19 during pregnancy on newborns and the effects of maternal COVID-19 vaccination on neonatal outcomes, particularly during the Omicron variant period.

2. The study was a large, prospective, observational study conducted across 18 countries and enrolled 4707 neonates born to mothers diagnosed with COVID-19. It aimed to compare neonates of vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers to assess the impact of COVID-19 in pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes, as well as vaccine effectiveness.

3. Findings from the study showed that vaccination of pregnant women decreased the risk for severe COVID-19-related complications and maternal morbidity and mortality. Newborns of vaccinated mothers had a decreased risk for preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes compared to newborns of unvaccinated mothers.

4. Neonates of boostervaccinated mothers had less than half the risk of being diagnosed with COVID-19 compared with those of unvaccinated mothers, in addition to lower rates of preterm birth, medically indicated preterm birth, respiratory distress syndrome, and number of days in the neonatal intensive care unit.

5. The protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination decreased with time, highlighting the importance of vaccinating pregnant women closer to the expected date of delivery. The study also found that none of the neonatal practices studied, including skin-to-skin contact and direct breastfeeding, increased the risk for infecting newborns.

6. The paper emphasized the importance of maternal vaccination in protecting newborns against COVID-19 and highlighted the need for vaccinating pregnant women no more than 14 weeks before the expected delivery date to ensure maximal protection for newborns. The study also provided insights into the vaccine effectiveness with different types of vaccines and highlighted the benefits of booster vaccinations, with implications for public health policies and interventions during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Reference -

Barros FC, Gunier RB, Rego A, Sentilhes L, Rauch S, Gandino S, Teji JS, Thornton JG, Kachikis AB, Nieto R, Craik R, Cavoretto PI, Winsey A, Roggero P, Rodriguez GB, Savasi V, Kalafat E, Giuliani F, Fabre M, Benski AC, Coronado-Zarco IA, Livio S, Ostrovska A, Maiz N, Castedo Camacho FR, Peterson A, Deruelle P, Giudice C, Casale RA, Salomon LJ, Soto Conti CP, Prefumo F, Mohamed Elbayoumy EZ, Vale M, Hernández V, Chandler K, Risso M, Marler E, Cáceres DM, Crespo GA, Ernawati E, Lipschuetz M, Ariff S, Takahashi K, Vecchiarelli C, Hubka T, Ikenoue S, Tavchioska G, Bako B, Ayede AI, Eskenazi B, Bhutta ZA, Kennedy SH, Papageorghiou AT, Villar J; INTERCOVID-2022 International Consortium. Maternal vaccination against COVID-19 and neonatal outcomes during Omicron: INTERCOVID-2022 study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Oct;231(4):460.e1-460.e17. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2024.02.008. Epub 2024 Feb 16. PMID: 38367758.