A VACCINE expert has indicated that it is safe for nursing mothers to receive a Covid-19 shot.

Centre for virus and vaccine research head at Sunway University Professor Poh Chit Laa said health experts believe the mRNA vaccine is safe for breastfeeding mothers even though it has not been tested on that score.

An mRNA vaccine uses a copy of a natural chemical called messenger RNA to produce an immune response.

Unlike vaccines that use live viruses, mRNA “teaches” the cells to make protein to develop an immune response in the body.

Among the five types of coronavirus vaccine that Malaysia has procured, only the Pfizer-BioNTech one is mRNA-based.

“When the mother is infected with Covid-19 while breastfeeding, her immune system develops antibodies to protect against SARS-Cov-2. These antibodies present in milk can be passed to the baby during breastfeeding.”

Pregnant women are more prone to falling critically ill from a coronavirus infection compared to non-pregnant women in the same age group.

“Those who are pregnant can be at higher risk for hospitalisation and intensive care. Research suggests that having Covid-19 might increase the risk of premature death in severely ill pregnant women.

“There have not been reports of any identified birth defects associated with Covid-19 but there is a possibility of transmission of virus from mother to baby.”

She advises women trying to get pregnant to get vaccinated to ensure that they develop immunity against the virus before pregnancy.

Poh is currently working with researchers from Cambridge University in the UK and University of Queensland, Australia to develop synthetic peptides and nano-vaccines against dengue and SARSCo-V-2.

According to a February 4 article published on The Lancet, human milk is not a vector for SARS-Cov-2 and the milk itself contains antibodies which could potentially protect the breastfed baby from Covid-19.

“We need research to determine whether coronavirus vaccines in general, and mRNA vaccines in particular, enter the milk and transfer to the infant.

“Even if they do, there seems no plausible reason to recommend against vaccination for breastfeeding women,” it said.

Universiti Putra Malaysia medical microbiology expert Associate Professor Dr Niazlin Mohd Taib is reported to have advised pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to refrain from getting vaccinated, citing lack of clinical evidence for its safety. – February 27, 2021.