COVID-19 during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of stillbirth and preterm birth.
The current COVID-19 vaccines were not tested in pregnant women in the initial clinical trials, but information on their safety, immunogenicity, and effectiveness has been generated from observational studies.
No major safety concerns on the use of mainly the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant women have been identified.
Pregnant women mount immune responses to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines comparable to non-pregnant counterparts.
Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG are detected in cord blood following maternal vaccination at concentrations that strongly correlated with both maternal antibody levels and the time elapsed since vaccination.
Vaccination of pregnant women with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines has been shown to be effective in protecting the women against disease.
COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has been associated with severe illness in pregnant women. Furthermore, COVID-19 during pregnancy is associated with adverse fetal outcomes including preterm labor. Pregnant women were largely excluded from initial clinical trials investigating the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines; however, they have since been included as part of the routine roll-out of these vaccines. This narrative review synthesizes the evidence on the safety, immunogenicity, and effectiveness predominantly of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines which have been most widely used in pregnant women.