Breast milk has long been known to protect infants against numerous infections. Because antibodies have been found in the breast milk of women who were vaccinated against flu and pertussis while pregnant, researchers aimed to see if the same would be true for those vaccinated against COVID-19 while breastfeeding.

The COVID-19 vaccines generate an immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

Mothers vaccinated against COVID-19 may be able to pass along protection against infection to their nursing babies, according to the initial findings of studies by a number of researchers in the USA and Spain.

The researchers found that in breast milk specifically, after the second dose, there was a pronounced 100-fold increase of immunoglobulin A antibodies.

Antibodies passed through breast milk could prove beneficial to babies, researchers said, but further study is needed to determine their impact.

(Information collected from the Internet by H.L)