Understanding COVID-19 Immunity in Pregnant Mothers and Their Babies
Official title: SARS-CoV-2 in Pregnancy: Comparison of Natural Infection and Hybrid Immunity in Mother-Infant Pairs
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11135473 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how pregnant mothers and their babies develop protection against COVID-19, comparing natural infection with a combination of infection and vaccination.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | July 5, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $203,580 |
| NIH project number | 5K23AI177952-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11135473 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project focuses on mother-infant pairs who experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy, some of whom also received COVID-19 vaccination.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not been pregnant or had SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy would not directly benefit from participating in this specific project.
What this research studies
We want to learn more about how pregnant mothers and their babies build immunity to COVID-19. This project compares the immune responses from natural infection to those from a "hybrid immunity" which combines both infection and vaccination. We are especially interested in how this protection passes from mother to baby and lasts over time. This information will help us understand the long-term effects and the best ways to protect mothers and their infants from severe COVID-19.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help guide recommendations for vaccination strategies in pregnant individuals to better protect both mothers and their newborns from COVID-19.
How similar studies have gone: While previous studies have looked at natural infection or vaccine-induced immunity separately, this project explores the less understood area of hybrid immunity in pregnancy.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cambou, Mary Catherine — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Cambou, Mary Catherine
Related research
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Understanding how COVID-19 during pregnancy affects infant brain development
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This project looks at how COVID-19 infection during pregnancy might affect the long-term health of mothers and their children.
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Comparing natural COVID-19 infection and vaccine-induced immunity in pregnant women and their infants
This study is looking at how getting COVID-19 and being vaccinated during pregnancy affects both moms and their babies, especially how different types of immunity can help protect newborns.
-
Long-term health effects of COVID-19 on pregnant women and their children
This study is looking at how COVID-19 during pregnancy affects the health of moms and their babies over time, focusing on things like heart health and mental well-being, so we can better understand the long-term impacts for families.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.