COVID-19 vaccination

Right now, there is no data to help breastfeeding mothers decide whether or not to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Yet vaccination could protect not only them, but also their breastfed infants – thanks to antibodies in their breastmilk.

To find out, the University of California San Diego School of Medicine is launching an urgent study with a USD 200,000 donation from FLRF.

Scientists expect first results this spring. Data should provide critical answers and clear up uncertainties for mothers worldwide. The study will begin with vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, then expand to include vaccines from other suppliers, ensuring there will be relevant data for women getting vaccinated in LMICs.

“We want this study to bring peace of mind to mothers in every single country,” says Dr. Katharina Lichtner, FLRF Managing Director. “No woman should be left behind.”

Tune in to an interview with Dr. Lars Bode, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence at UC San Diego, to learn more:

23 January 2021 - NBC 7, by Mari Payton: "One-of-a-Kind Study Could Be Life-Saving for Breastfeeding Women and Their Babies During COVID-19"

22 January 2021 - CBS 8, by Heather Hope: "UCSD study looks at impact vaccines have on breastfeeding mothers and their babies"

21 January 2021 - KUSI TV, by Ginger Jeffries: "San Diego Researchers Looking into Effects of Vaccine from Breast Milk"

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