OUCRU Indonesia scientist, Dr Edward Sutanto MPH, was awarded ‘Best Poster Presentation’ in the topic of Vaccine and Immunology at the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2024. Edward’s poster showcased a recently completed study on Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant women in Indonesia.
The study showed that getting vaccinated against Covid-19 when pregnant reduces the chance of premature birth by about 30%. Vaccines that use mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) and vector-based vaccines (AstraZeneca) produce better immune response against COVID-19 in pregnant women compared to inactivated vaccines (SinoVac and SinoPharm), but pregnancy still weakens this response.
The study presented (called “the PregVax study”) investigated how several types of Covid-19 vaccines affected pregnant women and their newborns. The study specifically examined how vaccination, including booster shots, induced immunity against Covid-19 in pregnant women and how this immunity is transferred from pregnant women to newborns. Additionally, the study assessed pregnancy outcomes related to these vaccines as well as their safety.
PregVax involved a cohort of more than 12,000 women and 6,000 newborns in Indonesia. It was conducted with collaborators from the University of Indonesia, University of Diponegoro, University of Mataram, Summit Institute for Development, several regional health offices in Indonesia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute, and MRC Weatherall Institute. It received funding from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Edward works under the Community Health Programme at OUCRU Indonesia and is a DPhil student at the University of Oxford.
Edward commented, “I am glad we received many questions and interest in PregVax during the conference. This is an important study to be conducted in a low- and middle-income country, like Indonesia, as most COVID-19 vaccine studies tend to come from high-income countries. Our study reveals that pregnancy weakens immune responses produced by COVID-19 vaccines, highlighting the urgency for a special vaccination strategy for this high-risk group.”
Edward was one of many OUCRU researchers who attended the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2024. Our delegates from across our programme presented several posters showcasing OUCRU’s latest research on pandemic preparedness and response.
The International Pandemic Sciences Conference, held annually by the Pandemic Sciences Institute, the University of Oxford, aims to advance research and public policies to address epidemic and pandemic threats. This year, the event welcomed over 750 delegates in Oxford and online, with participants from 63 different countries.
