Yes, the Standing Vaccination Commission (Ständige Impfkommission, STIKO) generally recommends corona vaccination for pregnant women from the second trimester of pregnancy with the vaccine Comirnaty® from BioNTech/Pfizer at three to six week intervals. Newly available data on the risk of severe COVID-19 during pregnancy and on the effectiveness and safety of vaccination in pregnant women were systematically processed for the recommendation. Important: A COVID-19 vaccination in the first trimester of pregnancy is no reason for an abortion. A booster vaccination is also recommended for pregnant women from the second trimester of pregnancy with Comirnaty® from BioNTech/Pfizer .

The German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics e.V. (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe e. V.) recommends giving priority to vaccinating pregnant and breastfeeding women with mRNA-based vaccines against COVID-19. According to current studies, a COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women does not lead to increased pregnancy-specific complications or an increased risk of death for the pregnant woman or the fetus. In addition, the vaccination shows no differences in side effects compared to non-pregnant women. Rather, the COVID-19 vaccination can potentially protect the newborn from infection through the maternal antibodies formed by vaccination and transmitted transplacentally or via breast milk. The published statement of the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics can be found here.

In order to protect pregnant women indirectly, vaccination is recommended for their close contacts, especially partners, as well as midwives and doctors.

Updated: 07/03/2022

Various studies are still ongoing on the so-called placental antibody transfer. Initial results reported that by Corona vaccination of pregnant women* with an mRNA vaccine, the amount of antibodies detected in most fetuses was measurable to that of the vaccinated mother. However, whether this can provide clinically relevant protection against coronavirus for the newborn (also called nest immunity) has not been clearly demonstrated at this time.

However, vaccine transfer across the placenta into the fetal bloodstream has not been detected in any of the studies. It is assumed that the mRNA of the vaccine is rapidly degraded in the metabolism of the mother or the child, respectively. More information can be found in the 38th issue of the Epidemiological Bulletin of the Standing Commission on Vaccination (STIKO).

More information on corona vaccination in pregnancy can be found here.

Status: 29.04.2022

Yes. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people who breastfeeding/lactating. On September 16, 2021, the Standing Vaccination Committee (STIKO) published its update of the COVID-19 vaccination recommendation for pregnant and breastfeeding women*. It justifies its decision on the basis of newly available data on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccination in pregnant and breastfeeding women*. A systematic review was conducted on the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women*, and on the transfer of antibodies through breast milk and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine for the child when the mother* is vaccinated while breastfeeding. The result of the review: The available data support a general recommendation.

STIKO recommends that breastfeeding women* who have not yet been vaccinated be vaccinated with two doses of an mRNA vaccine at an interval of three to six ( Comirnaty® from BioNTech/Pfizer ) or four to six weeks ( Spikevax® (Vaccine Moderna) from Moderna ). With the update of the COVID-19 vaccination recommendation from November 2021, vaccination with Spikevax® (Vaccine Moderna) from Moderna is only recommended for people aged 30 and over.

In addition, it states:

COVID-19 vaccination of breastfeeding women* with mRNA-based vaccines…

• … has an equivalent antibody formation and a similarly low side effect profile as in pregnancy and in non-pregnant women.
• … can induce nest immunity as vaccine-induced antibodies can be detected in breast milk.
• … does not require a break or abstinence from breastfeeding, since the mRNA of the vaccine could not be detected in breast milk, or if so, only minimally.

Status: 03/15/2022

After vaccination with an mRNA vaccine during breastfeeding, antibodies were detected in breast milk, the concentration of which depended on the COVID-19 vaccine used. This level of antibodies coincides with that in the breastfeeding person’s blood. The level is highest one to two weeks after the second vaccination dose. It is still unclear whether there is a protective effect of antibodies against COVID-19 in infants of vaccinated mothers.

It is assumed that the mRNA of the vaccine is rapidly degraded in the metabolism of the mother or child. The transfer of mRNA vaccine into breast milk could only be detected in minimal parts. A breastfeeding break after the corona vaccination is not necessary. More information for breastfeeding and pregnant women can be found in the Epidemiological Bulletin of the Robert Koch Institute.

You can find more information on the corona vaccination during breastfeeding here .

Status: 04/10/2022

Despite current access restrictions in the hospitals, expectant mothers/birthing people are usually allowed to take one companion with them into the delivery room. An accompanying person may also stay with the them in the first few hours after the birth. Most hospitals allow visitors to the maternity ward to a limited extent. However, the regulations may differ depending on the region. Please note the policy at your local hospital or birth center. 

Updated: 28/01/2022

Edit to add: Empowered Birth Movement believes having two support people is an important right — we encourage parents and healthcare providers alike to advocate for this change in institutional policy. Please contact advocacy@empoweredbirthmovement.com to join our advocacy campaign or share your story.

Transmission from the mother to her newborn, even in the womb, cannot be ruled out. In most cases, children whose mothers have tested positive for coronavirus show no signs of illness after birth. So far, only isolated cases of illness in newborns have been described, which may be the result of infection in the womb. However, expectant mothers should protect themselves from infection as much as possible and follow the rules of conduct summarized in the AHA formula: Keep your distance (at least 1.5 meters), follow hygiene rules (proper coughing and sneezing, thorough hand washing) and – where space is tight – wear a mask in everyday life.

Since September 17, 2021, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) also recommends the Corona vaccination in general for pregnant and breastfeeding women (more here).

However, if a mother is infected, transmission to the newborn is possible through close contact and droplet infection. An article with more information about pregnancy and the coronavirus can be found here.

Update: 03/28/2022

The available data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines does not provide any evidence of an increased occurrence of serious pregnancy-related side effects in the form of malformations, miscarriages or premature births. The German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics goes into more detail in its recommendation for the COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant and breastfeeding women .

Rather, there is a risk of malformations due to complications in severe COVID-19 courses. The increased risk of preeclampsia due to a corona infection can have serious consequences for mother and child. You can find more information on this in the epidemiological profile of the Robert Koch Institute.

Status: 03/28/2022

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is currently reviewing previously published systematic reviews and studies on the influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the course and outcome of pregnancy. In addition, data from the “COVID-19 Related Obstetric and Neonatal Outcome Study in Germany” (CRONOS) project of the research network of the German Society for Perinatal Medicine (DGPM), which has been studying women with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy since April 3, 2020, are being considered. As of August 21, 2021, 2,803 positively tested pregnant women have already been recorded in the registry established from this study.

In the 38th Epidemiological Bulletin, the RKI published interim results of various studies on pregnant women. The institute rated one research study, which included a total of 192 studies of pregnant women, as particularly comprehensive. The review study described an increased risk of preterm birth before the 37th week of pregnancy in pregnant women with COVID-19 compared with mothers without COVID-19. The same conclusion was reached in another study, which also defined the severity of the disease in particular as a decisive factor: Pregnant women with severe courses of the disease had a higher incidence of preterm birth than pregnant women with mild COVID-19 disease. The study also found a higher risk of stillbirths in SARS-CoV-2-positive patients compared with SARS-CoV-2-negative pregnant women.

Regarding the study results, the RKI points out that the increased preterm birth rate could also be a medically induced increase, as the general rates of spontaneous preterm births remained the same compared to pre-pandemic times. Taking into account the various study results, the RKI summarizes that pregnant women have an increased risk of suffering complications in the context of certain infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and thus justifies the general vaccination recommendation for pregnant and breastfeeding women made earlier.

Updated: 25/01/2022

Among other things, bleeding between periods, increased or absent menstruation and other menstrual irregularities were reported (published in the safet report of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, page 26). Taking into account the number of vaccinated women* in the relevant age groups and the frequency of menstrual disorders, the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) rates the number of reports as “not unusually high”, although it can be assumed that some, particularly temporary menstrual disorders, are not reported will. It has therefore not been finally clarified whether the vaccination has an influence on the female cycle. A possible connection is being further investigated.

Menstrual cycle disorders after vaccination do not necessarily have to be attributed to the vaccine administered. Typical vaccination reactions such as fever, tiredness or muscle pain mean stress for the body. And stress is a common trigger for menstrual cycle disorders. Another possibility is that the vaccination stimulates the immune system to release signaling substances, which in turn activate immune cells throughout the body. There are many immune cells in the lining of the uterus, so they are also stimulated and this could lead to possible irregularities in the menstrual cycle.

A disturbed cycle usually settles down again on its own. However, if the irregularities persist for more than three months after the vaccination, this should be checked by a doctor. Affected persons can report menstrual disorders as a possible vaccination complication at side effects 

Updated: 25/01/2022

The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) recommends the COVID-19 booster vaccination for all people aged 12 and over, including pregnant people from the second trimester of pregnancy. The booster vaccination of pregnant people can be given three months after the last vaccine dose of the primary immunization. Regardless of which vaccine was previously used, the booster vaccination should be given with BioNTech/Pfizer ‘s Comirnaty® mRNA vaccine.

Updated: 23/03/2022

A recommendation must always be based on good data. Initially, there were only a few data on the vaccination of pregnant women*. For this reason, the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) initially did not recommend general vaccination of pregnant and breastfeeding people. Nonetheless, physicians were able to discuss with pregnant individuals, independently of the general recommendation, whether vaccination seemed particularly appropriate for them.

With the update of the COVID-19 vaccination recommendation for pregnant and breastfeeding women* from September 17, 2021, STIKO used newly available data for its decision and rated the corona vaccination for pregnant and breastfeeding people as safe and effective. The recommendation is based on a systematic review of the scientific evidence. As part of a so-called umbrella review, previously published systematic reviews on the influence of a SARS-CoV-2 infection on the course and outcome of the pregnancy were analyzed. These data were supplemented by additional recent studies from 2021 after a corresponding systematic literature search. You can read the detailed scientific justification in the Epidemiologisches Bulletin .

Updated: 10/05/2022

Due to the current data situation, no conclusive statements can be made about the effect of an infection on the unborn child. Overall, however, transmission of a maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection to the newborn appears to be rare and to cause symptoms in the newborn only in rare cases. In principle, however, infection, for example with high fever in the pregnant person during the first third of pregnancy (also called the trimester) can increase the risk of complications and malformations. Therefore, corona vaccination is particularly important for women* of childbearing potential to ensure protection against severe COVID-19 infection before the onset of pregnancy or during the first trimester. Some study results also show that pregnant people with severe COVID-19, in particular, had more frequent preterm births and the newborns more often required care in an intensive care unit for premature infants and newborns. Stillbirths or deaths have been little described in newborns, although individual studies show a higher risk of the baby being stillborn in the case of severe COVID-19 in the mother*.

Updated: 11/05/2022