Maternal Third Dose of BNT162b2 MRNA Vaccine and Risk of Infant COVID-19 Hospitalization

Overview

Journal Nat Med

Specialties General Medicine
Molecular Biology

Date 2023 Mar 24

PMID 36959421

Authors

Michal Lipschuetz

Joshua Guedalia

Sarah M Cohen

Yishai Sompolinsky

Galit Shefer

Eli Melul

Zivanit Ergaz-Shaltiel

Debra Goldman-Wohl

Simcha Yagel

Ronit Calderon-Margalit

Ofer Beharier

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Infants are at a higher risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related hospitalizations compared to older children. In this study, we investigated the effect of the recommended third maternal dose of BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy on rates of infant COVID-19-related hospitalizations. We conducted a nationwide cohort study of all live-born infants delivered in Israel between 24 August 2021 and 15 March 2022 to estimate the effectiveness of the third booster dose versus the second dose against infant COVID-19-related hospitalizations. Data were analyzed for the overall study period, and the Delta and Omicron periods were analyzed separately. Cox proportional hazard regression models estimated hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for infant hospitalizations according to maternal vaccination status at delivery. Among 48,868 live-born infants included in the analysis, rates of COVID-19 hospitalization were 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.7% in the third-dose, second-dose and unvaccinated groups, respectively. Compared to the second dose, the third dose was associated with reduced infant hospitalization with estimated effectiveness of 53% (95% CI: 36-65%). Greater protection was associated with a shorter interval between vaccination and delivery. A third maternal dose during pregnancy reduced the risk of infant hospitalization for COVID-19 during the first 4 months of life, supporting clinical and public health guidance for maternal booster vaccination to prevent infant COVID-19 hospitalization.

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