First-Trimester COVID-19 Vaccine Does Not Increase Risk for Birth Defects
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, July 11, 2024 -- First-trimester mRNA COVID-19 vaccine exposure is not associated with an increased risk for selected major structural birth defects, according to a study published online July 1 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Elyse O. Kharbanda, M.D., M.P.H., from HealthPartners Institute in Minneapolis, and colleagues assessed whether receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during the first trimester is associated with an increased risk for selected major structural birth defects among live-born infants. The analysis included 42,156 singleton pregnancies with live birth in the Vaccine Safety Datalink from March 5, 2021, to Jan. 25, 2022, from eight health systems in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
The researchers found that selected major structural birth defects occurred in 1.48 percent of infants after first-trimester mRNA COVID-19 vaccination and in 1.41 percent of infants without first-trimester vaccine exposure (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.02; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.78 to 1.33). Similarly, there were no significant differences between infants exposed or not exposed to vaccination during the first trimester of pregnancy when examining major structural birth defect outcomes grouped by organ system.
"In this multisite cohort study, among live-born infants, first-trimester mRNA COVID-19 vaccine exposure was not associated with an increased risk for selected major structural birth defects," the authors write. "These findings support the safety of maternal COVID-19 vaccination in the first trimester."
Several authors disclosed ties to industry.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2024
Further Support and Information on COVID-19
Read this next
Medical Complexity Seen in 12 Percent of Military-Connected Children
FRIDAY, April 11, 2025 -- The cumulative incidence of children with medical complexity (CMC)-defining diagnoses in military-connected children is 12.0 percent by age 60 months...
Risk for Long COVID Lower in Pregnant Individuals
WEDNESDAY, April 9, 2025 -- The risk for long COVID among pregnant individuals is lower than among matched nonpregnant women, according to a study published online April 1...
USPSTF Recommends Primary Care Interventions to Support Breastfeeding
TUESDAY, April 8, 2025 -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends primary care behavioral counseling interventions to support breastfeeding, according to a...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.