COVID-19 infection and vaccination in pregnant women can result in significant antibodies in breast milk that exhibit different temporal patterns, but both neutralize the live SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to a study by researchers at the University of Rochester Mycology Center and New York University.
The an isis published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, reports that the study included a convenience sample of 47 lactating pregnant women who had been infected with the virus, in addition to another 30 who were vaccinated against COVID-19.
In the case of breast milk from those who were infected with COVID, the amount of antibodies was dominant and highly variable, while in those who were vaccinated, it was associated with a strong antibody response that began to decrease 90 days after the second dose of the vaccine.
However, milk from both groups showed neutralizing activity against the live SARS-CoV-2 virus, and with a slow load of IgA antibodies, which are found in the linings of the respiratory tract and digestive system, as well as in saliva, urine and breast milk, and IgG, which are the most abundant antibodies in the body.