COVID-19 Vaccines Prevented Thousands of Premature Births, Study Finds

Despite the positive impact of vaccines, the rate of vaccine boosters among pregnant people remains low, raising concerns about future risks.

COVID-19 infection during pregnancy significantly increased the risk of premature birth, with the likelihood of a mother with COVID-19 giving birth more than three weeks early rising from 6.9% to 12.3% between July and November 2020.
The risk of premature birth in mothers infected with COVID-19 returned to pre-pandemic levels by 2022, largely due to the rollout of vaccines.
In areas with higher vaccine uptake, the reduction in premature birth risk was recorded almost a year earlier than in areas with lower vaccine uptake.
Premature birth can lead to a host of short and long-term health conditions, including cerebral palsy, learning difficulties, visual and hearing problems, and behavioural issues.
Despite the positive impact of vaccines, the rate of vaccine boosters among pregnant people remains very low, raising concerns about future risks.