At my job as a newborn hearing screener and sometimes the pediatrician comes into the room to talk to moms. A common question moms ask is whether their baby will be protected from COVID-19 if they have received the vaccine because they will breastfeed and pass on antibodies for it. Or, if they have COVID-19, can their baby get it if they breastfeed.
Breastfeeding is always recommended if the mom is able, given its beneficial effects on the neonate’s development. Breastfeeding has been associated with a reduced risk of developing leukemia, asthma, and type 1 diabetes and has a role in developing the neonate’s cognitive abilities. Breastfeeding also positively affects maternal evolution, reducing the risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer postpartum. Breastfeeding has also been associated with decreased risk of postpartum depression among mothers (Florea, 2021). The considerable risk when breastfeeding is infectious diseases that could spread and infect the baby either by the milk or close contact between the mother and the infant.
When SARS-CoV-2 first broke out, it was uncertain if the vertical transmission was possible through breast milk. Samples of breastmilk were taken from mothers with COVID-19, and there were 12 reported positive cases of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found, but it is still unknown if viral particles were viable or not. Those samples that were to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA were negative after a couple of days. Moreover, all the babies were repeatedly tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 (Florea, 2021). Vertical transmission through breast milk seems unlikely.
One of the essential aspects of breastfeeding is that it can pass on antibodies that protect the infant from many viruses, such as syncytial respiratory virus, influenza A virus, rotavirus, and SAR-CoV-2. Antibodies play a role in developing the immune system of neonates and be a measure of short-term protection against the virus—the existence of IgG and IgA anti-SARS-CoV-2-antibodies in breast milk (Florea, 2021). Although COVID-19 is a concern in infants, breastfeeding advantages outweigh the risk, and lactation was encouraged at least six months after being born.
Florea RM, Sultana CM. COVID-19 and breastfeeding: can SARS-CoV-2 be spread through
lactation? Discoveries (Craiova). 2021 Jun 30;9(2):e132. doi: 10.15190/d.2021.11. PMID: 34754901; PMCID: PMC8570917.
It is so interesting that SARS-CoV-2 antibodies can be passed through breast milk to a newborn! I found a study published in JAMA Pediatrics that explores this topic. The author discusses the difference between the concentration of antibodies and the effectiveness of antibodies that are passed through breast milk. Effective antibodies are “functional and can neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 virus” (Hesel, 2021). Hopefully with more research, experts will be able to determine how beneficial SARS-CoV-2 antibodies will be for a nursing child.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Hesel, S. (2021, November 10). New study finds evidence of COVID antibodies in breast milk of vaccinated mothers. URMC Newsroom. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/new-study-finds-evidence-of-covid-antibodie s-in-breast-milk-of-vaccinated-mothers.