Vaccination against COVID-19 had no impact on the health of placentas in pregnant women, according to new research by pathologists at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian. The findings, published June 27 as a research letter in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, further emphasize the safety of vaccination during pregnancy for babies and pregnant women, the investigators note.

Most previous studies on the impact of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy have focused on maternal and infant outcomes. By contrast, for this study, the investigators examined 18 indicators of placental health, such as the presence of lesions, blood clots and inflammation associated with a higher risk of adverse health issues for babies and their mothers. They also collected data from clinical records on the babies' birth weights and the score that assesses babies' well-being at one minute and five minutes after birth, called the Apgar score.