Association between COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and SGA in a rural area

Abstract

Vaccines were the most crucial factor in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Different types of COVID-19 vaccines were administered worldwide to all ages, including pregnant women. This study aimed to evaluate if different types of COVID-19 vaccines applied during pregnancy affect the "Small for Gestational Age" (SGA) incidence in a rural area of Turkey. A retrospective cohort study was performed with 146 completed pregnancies between 2021 and 2022. The health repository was scanned to obtain COVID-19 vaccination status during pregnancy, the type of COVID-19 vaccine administered and fetal birth weight. The presence of SGA was detected by using a gender-specific Fenton growth chart in newborns. We investigated the incidence of SGA for the whole study population and vaccinated group, as well as the types and trimesters of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. There was no statistical significance between all pregnancies and vaccinated women during pregnancy in terms of SGA incidence (p>0.05). Either COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy or type of COVID-19 vaccines or trimester of application did not statistically change the incidence of SGA (p>0.05). Pregnant women are skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccine, but inactivated and mRNA COVID-19 vaccine administration during pregnancy seems safe in terms of SGA incidence.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• small for gestational age
• vaccination
• COVID-19 vaccines
• pregnancy

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