Corona current: Baby born with antibodies

First reported case worldwide
Corona current: Baby born in Florida with Covid-19 antibodies

© MakeStory Studio / Shutterstock

A Florida woman gave birth to a healthy girl who was born with antibodies to Covid-19. The mother had previously been vaccinated.

Surprising news from the USA: About three weeks before the birth of their child was loud Business Insider a Florida healthcare worker was vaccinated with Moderna’s corona vaccine. Now her daughter was born healthy – and had already made antibodies against the virus herself. Researchers report on this case in a so-called Pre-print, a report that has not yet been reviewed by independent experts.

Antibodies reached the child through the placenta

The mother had also previously produced antibodies from the vaccination. Tests with the umbilical cord blood could prove that these antibodies, called IgG antibodies, were passed on to the child via the placenta. This type of antibody is formed either after a vaccination or after recovering from an infection and now offers the newborn a certain protection against the coronaviruses. The researchers at Florida Atlantic University assume that this case will be the first in the world to show that vaccination during pregnancy can also offer protection for the newborn.

However, it is unclear how strong the protection of the antibodies against the coronavirus actually is and how long it lasts. The researchers around the authors Paul Gilbert and Chad Rudnick therefore want to next research whether pregnant women should vaccinate themselves at a certain point in time so that their child is optimally protected against the coronaviruses.

Infection can also increase the child’s protection

A study in March 2020 had already suggested that even mothers who tested positive for the coronavirus can pass the IgG antibodies on to their unborn child. The investigation followed six women who were considered to have tested positive during delivery. Five of the infants had elevated levels of the antibodies, although none of them had contracted Covid-19.

Swell: Pre-Print, businessinsider.de