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COVID-19 During Pregnancy and Postpartum

A pregnant woman outside, wearing a facemask.NICHD continues to perform and support research to increase understanding of how COVID-19 affects pregnancy, the postpartum period, lactation, and newborns. This focus includes making sure that any COVID-related treatments and vaccines are adequately formulated and tested for the specific needs of pregnant and lactating women. Among its efforts are co-leading, with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Trans-NIH COVID-19 Workgroup on Pregnant & Lactating Women and Children, which coordinates NIH’s Strategic Response Activities for these populations.

Some NICHD research activities on COVID during pregnancy and postpartum include the following:

NICHD Director Diana W. Bianchi, M.D., led the call for inclusion of pregnant and lactating women in COVID-19 vaccine research in a Director’s Corner.

Dr. Bianchi also used her Director’s Corner to discuss NIH-wide efforts to understand PASC. NICHD will be studying pregnant and postpartum women who are among these so-called “COVID long haulers.”