Vaccination helps protect not only expectant mothers but also their babies, both in utero and after birth, according to two separate studies which counter common misinformation about the vaccine and pregnancy. A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health, US,  analysed 13,000 expectant mothers of which about 2,400 of them were infected with the virus. The findings underscore the need for women of child-bearing age and pregnant individuals to be vaccinated and to take other precautions against becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2. The study also suggested that pregnant women with at least moderate COVID-19 symptoms are at greater risk for pregnancy complications — besides the health impacts of the disease — than those not infected or with mild or no symptoms.