No link between COVID-19 vaccination and preterm births or stillbirths: study
There is no link between COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and a higher risk of preterm birth or stillbirth, according to a new Ottawa-based study.
The population-based study led by the CHEO Research Institute, published in The BMJ, sheds new light on the risks and benefits of COVID-19
“Our study found no evidence of increased risk of preterm birth, very preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age at birth, or stillbirth following COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy,” lead author Dr. Deshayne Fell, scientists at the CHEO Research Institute and associate professor at the University of Ottawa, said in a news release.
“The results of this study provide further evidence for care providers and pregnant people about the safety of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.”
Researchers looked at more than 85,000 births between May 1 and Dec. 31, 2021, using the provincial birth registry based out of CHEO. They linked that information to the province’s COVID-19 immunization database.
Of those, more than 43,000 occurred in people who received one or more dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy (nearly all received an mRNA vaccine, mainly Pfizer or Moderna).
The study found that vaccination during pregnancy was not associated with any increased risk of overall preterm birth (6.5% among vaccinated v 6.9% among unvaccinated), spontaneous preterm birth (3.7% v 4.4%), or very preterm birth (0.59% v 0.89%). No increase was found in risk of small for gestational age at birth (9.1% v 9.2%) or stillbirth (0.25% v 0.44%).
The findings were similar regardless of what stage in the pregnancy the vaccine was given, the number of doses, or which mRNA vaccine was received.
Researchers say a wide range of factors were taken into account, including the mother’s age at delivery, pre-pregnancy body mass index, reported smoking or substance use during
pregnancy, pre-existing health conditions, number of previous live births and stillbirths, area of residence and income.
COVID-19 infections during pregnancy have been associated with a higher risk of complications, including preterm birth and stillbirth.
The project was supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada through the Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group and the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force.
Researchers say there are still unanswered questions that need more work, such as COVID-19 vaccination around the time of conception and using non-mRNA vaccines during pregnancy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.