Pregnant women who develop COVID-19 antibodies regularly transmit it to their babies in the womb, according to a new study.
More than 1,400 mothers and newborns have been studied, and according to researchers, antibodies in 72 of 83 infected or previously infected pregnant women were transferred to the placenta, according to the study by the Journal of the American Medical Association’s JAMA Pediatrics published Friday.
“Our findings demonstrate the potential for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies derived from mothers to provide neonatal protection against coronavirus disease 2019,” the study said.
Babies born to COVID-19-positive mothers did not develop an infection, and according to the researchers, 60 percent of the women who had antibodies to coronavirus reported no symptoms.
The finding also recommends that mothers should also get vaccinated against other viruses such as flu so that they can protect themselves and their babies.