The COVID-19 vaccines are protective for pregnant and lactating women, and their babies. In a study published last week in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that the antibody levels generated by the vaccines were much higher than those resulting from coronavirus infection during pregnancy. And women passed protective antibodies to their newborns through breast milk and the placenta. They also found pregnant and lactating women did not have more side effects or more intense side effects than non-pregnant women receiving the vaccine. This is great news, as pregnant women who develop COVID-19 have a higher risk for severe illness and adverse outcomes, like preterm birth.