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Vaccines

Session: Poster Session C

(340) Differences in self-reported adverse events after the first mRNA COVID-19 vaccination between pregnant and non-pregnant women

Wednesday, August 28, 2024
8:00 AM – 1:30 PM CEST
Location: Convention Hall II
Background: Because pregnant women are a high-risk group for (severe) Sars-CoV-2 infections, they are recommended routine COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. Continued monitoring of the safety and reactogenicity of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy remains important.

Objectives: To study differences in self-reported adverse events (AEs) after the first mRNA COVID-19 vaccination between pregnant women and non-pregnant women.

Methods: Two independent Dutch cohort studies were used. First, the Dutch Pregnancy Drug Register, including information on self-reported AE after COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women. Second, the Lareb Intensive Monitoring on COVID-19 vaccination, including information on self-reported AE after COVID-19 vaccination among non-pregnant women of reproductive age. Any self-reported AE and specific AEs after the first doses of a mRNA vaccine were compared between pregnant and non-pregnant women using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results: The pattern of AEs was similar between pregnant (n=2204) and non-pregnant (n=2684) women, with the four most frequently reported AEs being: injection site reaction, myalgia, fatigue, and headache. However, pregnant women less often reported any AE compared to non-pregnant women (65.9% vs 72.3%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.67-0.90) or specific AEs: nausea (5.1% vs 7.5%; aOR=0.75; 95%CI=0.56-0.99), chills (2.5% vs 6.7%; aOR=0.40; 95%CI=0.28-0.57), pyrexia (2.1% vs 5.6%; aOR=0.43; 95%CI=0.29-0.63), and arthralgia (2.3% vs 4.2%; aOR=0.63; 95%CI=0.43-0.94). Myalgia was more often reported among pregnant women, compared to non-pregnant women (29.5% vs 24.1%; aOR=1.35; 95%CI=1.16-1.57).

Conclusions: Preliminary results show that pregnant women generally reported fewer but a similar pattern of AEs after the first mRNA COVID-19 vaccination compared to non-pregnant women. These results, especially the lower reported rate of pyrexia among pregnant women, are reassuring and contribute to the growing body of evidence on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.