Pfizer conducting COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial for pregnant women

Pfizer and BioNTech announced the first large-scale clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of their vaccine for pregnant women. It will also look at the transfer of antibodies to the baby.

Dr. Mitchell Kramer, chair of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology with Northwell Health encourages his pregnant patients to get vaccinated after the first trimester. He believes the risk of getting sick from COVID while pregnant far outweighs any potential risk relative to the vaccines.

"We do advise them to get the vaccine in pregnancy or with breastfeeding," he said. "There should be no reason they would have an adverse impact on either mother or baby."

Pfizer and BioNTech hope to enroll some 4,000 pregnant women, 18 years or older during 24 to 34 weeks in the trial around the world and estimate the trial will wrap up by January 2023.

"Pregnancy is a very mild immunocompromised state and they’re more susceptible to the virus and the virus making them sicker," Dr. Kramer said.

One study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology last month found a COVID-19 mortality rate among pregnant women 13 times higher than other similarly aged patients who weren’t pregnant. It goes on to report pregnant women are 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for symptoms related to COVID-19.

Some participants in both Moderna’s and Pfizer‘s original trials did end up becoming pregnant, and no problems related to the vaccines were reported. Doctors believe Pfeizer’s latest trial involving pregnant women will only help document, confirm and convince people the vaccine is as safe as it said to be.

Pfizer and BioNTech also plan to start new studies in younger children in the coming months.