Effect of the COVID-19 vaccination on feto-maternal outcomes: A prospective cohort study among Indian pregnant women

Background & objectives Studies on the effects of COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women in Asian settings, more specifically in India, are scarce. The present study evaluated the feto-maternal outcomes among Indian pregnant women who received the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods A prospective cohort study was undertaken among 430 pregnant women from two primary health centres (PHC) in Chandigarh, India during 2021-2022. The feto-maternal outcomes evaluated in the study included abortions, live birth/stillbirth, term/pre-term/post-term delivery, mode of delivery (normal vaginal/caesarean section/forceps), birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation. Results Of the 430 study participants, 295 pregnant women received COVID-19 vaccines, with an uptake rate of 68.6 per cent. Majority of vaccinated women (280- who completed the study) were in their second trimester (133, 47.5%), while 92 (32.9%) were in their third, and 55 (19.6%) were in their first trimester when they were enrolled in the study. Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission was significantly lower among the vaccinated pregnant women, while other feto-maternal and neonatal outcomes were similar between vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant women. Interpretation & conclusions The findings of this study suggest COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women in India might be safe, in terms of feto-maternal outcomes.