AAAAI reports $10 million grant
allows for expanded study of safety of COVID-19 vaccinations during
pregnancy as well as immune response for mother and baby pre- and
post-delivery.
MILWAUKEE, June 25,
2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Researchers at the
University of California San Diego
School of Medicine and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma
& Immunology (AAAAI) are collaborating in a study to further
examine the safety of the COVID-19 vaccinations during pregnancy,
including the strength of the immune response for mother and baby
both pre- and post-delivery following vaccination.
Researchers say the expanded study is necessary since pregnant
people were not included in the original clinical trials for
COVID-19 vaccines. "Vaccinations and medications are typically
inadequately studied during pregnancy, leading to potential
underuse," said Michael Schatz, MD,
MS, FAAAAI, the principal investigator on the project for the
AAAAI. "This study will provide robust safety and effectiveness
information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations during pregnancy that
will allow pregnant people and their caregivers to make the most
informed benefit-risk decisions."
The first two years of the pandemic showed that pregnant people
are particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 and at risk of developing
more serious disease. Risk of preterm delivery, as well as other
adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as stillbirth, were also elevated
among those infected. Despite this, only about a third of pregnant
persons have chosen vaccination, Schatz said.
The continuation of the national study is being funded by a
recent $10 million, 4-year grant
awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Eunice Kennedy
Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD),
and the Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical
Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The
Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) Studies
program and the AAAAI have worked together in the Vaccines and
Medications in Pregnancy Surveillance Systems (VAMPSS) studies like
this for 15 years.
Using the established U.S. MotherToBaby pregnancy cohort study
at UC Sand Diego, researchers will follow-up with 900 individuals
who received one or more doses of any COVID-19 vaccination during
pregnancy and 900 who did not. They will evaluate pregnancy
outcomes, including major birth defects, miscarriage, stillbirth,
preterm delivery and postpartum growth of infants through one year
of age.
Researchers will also look at blood samples of a subset of 180
people to determine the immune response following COVID-19
vaccinations during pregnancy and the presence of antibodies to
SARS-CoV-2 in both mother and baby after delivery.
"The AAAAI is very proud of the ongoing work of the VAMPSS team
and their continued efforts at expanding our knowledge of the
safety of vaccines and medications during pregnancy," said AAAAI
President David Khan, MD, FAAAAI.
"We're delighted that this important study is continuing."
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
is the leading membership organization of more than 7,100
allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied
health professionals and others with a special interest in the
research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. The
AAAAI is the go-to resource for patients living with allergies,
asthma and immune deficiency disorders. Established in 1943, the
AAAAI has more than 7,100 members in the
United States, Canada and
72 other countries. The AAAAI's Find an Allergist/Immunologist
service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close
to home.
Media Contact
Lori Holly, The American Academy
of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, (414) 272-6701,
lholly@aaaai.org
SOURCE The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma &
Immunology