“Since the COVID vaccine is on the horizon as a reality, breastfeeding once again appears as a contraindication. Some health services such as English outright and like some manufacturers contraindicate breastfeeding in the administration of the vaccine.

From what has come to me as information in Portugal, the services “are not responsible for the safety in the administration of this vaccine to breastfeeding women” and I have heard cases in which it was stated that the hospital would not give the vaccine if there was no weaning. Others require that you bring a statement from your doctor that a breastfeeding woman can get the vaccine.

Moreover, this is the position of the DGS in its rule of 12/23/2020: “There are no studies on the administration of this vaccine during pregnancy and it is unknown whether this vaccine is excreted in human milk. However, if the expected benefits outweigh the potential risks for the woman, the vaccine may be considered, as prescribed by the treating physician.” Looking at this paragraph I get the idea that, as usual, pregnancy and breastfeeding are stuffed in the same bag.

It is true that one is the natural consequence of the other, but what potential risks for the breastfeeding woman are being reported? Which attending physician will issue the declaration, in the case of breastfeeding women? Of course, we at the clinic have done it without any room for doubt, but do other women have the support of their pediatricians or family doctors or obstetricians? And without a declaration they won’t be vaccinated? Or will they wean their children?

Once again ignorance, lack of logic, contempt for knowledge prevail. What is the easiest solution? Wean! As if weaning was a practice desired by women, an adequate and not risk-free solution for the child, a triumph for society. It will perhaps be a convenience for services that oblige women to give up the hours that are rightfully theirs, with the end of breastfeeding in order to be vaccinated.

Admittedly, no tests have been done on pregnant or breastfeeding women. But they never are, right? If we think a little about the composition of these vaccines, although different in design, we can see that they do not contain live viruses (the only vaccines contraindicated in breastfeeding are the smallpox and yellow fever vaccines, although there are other live virus vaccines) and neither They don’t even have the dreaded preservatives. If we read the package inserts for these vaccines, and I bring 2 examples here, what do we find?

– Viral vector vaccine (AstraZeneca): “women who are breastfeeding can receive the vaccine”.

https://www.gov.uk/…/oxford-universityastrazeneca-covid…

– mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech- Comirnaty): “although there are no studies carried out on breastfeeding, risks are not to be expected” and in its most recent version of 12/24/2020 “you can make the COVID 19 vaccine if you are to breastfeed”. https://www.hse.ie/…/covid-19-vaccine-information… The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) “recommends that vaccines be offered to breastfeeding women in the same way as non-lactating women”.

Even though lactating women have not been included in most clinical trials, vaccines against covid-19 should not be withheld from breastfeeding women, as the potential safety concerns of vaccinating lactating individuals do not outweigh the potential benefits of receiving the vaccine.” https://www.acog.org/…/vaccinating-pregnant-and… The ABM (Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine) “does not recommend stopping breastfeeding in individuals who are vaccinated against COVID 19”….” there is little biological plausibility that the vaccine will cause harm and antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in milk can protect the breastfed child. https://www.bfmed.org/abm-statement-considerations-for…

Unfortunately, these positions taken by health professionals and responsible entities do not surprise me. If there are weanings by taking medications that are perfectly compatible with breastfeeding, by performing X-rays and CT scans, why not a new vaccine? Get informed! Inform! Don’t be fooled!”

Text written by Dr. Graça Gonçalves, Clínica Amamentos

Covid-19 Vaccine – Low Risk Classification on e-lactancia, available here.

Find Doula Services for Post-Partum here.