COVID-19 vaccine boosters or third doses are well tolerated among pregnant and lactating individuals, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Alisa Kachikis, MD, performed an analysis that included responses from 17,014 pregnant and lactating individuals participating in an ongoing, online prospective cohort study. The researchers found that 11.8% of respondents were pregnant at the time of their booster or third dose, 60.4% were lactating, and 27.8% were neither pregnant nor lactating. Most individuals (82.8%) reported a local reaction after a booster or third dose; 67.9% reported at least one systemic symptom. Pregnant participants were more likely to report any local reaction to a booster or third dose but were less likely to report any systemic reaction compared with individuals who were neither pregnant nor lactating. No obstetric or lactation concerns after vaccination were reported by most pregnant (97.6%) and lactating (96.0%) individuals.
