T Cell Responses to SARS-CoV-2 in Vaccinated Pregnant Women: A Comparative Study of Pre-Pregnancy and During-Pregnancy Infections

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to global public health, particularly for vulnerable populations like pregnant women. This study delves into the T cell immune responses in pregnant women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, all of whom received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Using the ELISpot assay, we measured T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 and nucleocapsid peptides in two groups: those infected before and during pregnancy. Our results showed weak to moderate correlations between T cell responses and neutralizing antibody levels, with no statistically significant differences between the two groups. T cell reactivity appeared to decrease over time post-diagnosis, regardless of infection timing. Intriguingly, over half of the participants maintained detectable T cell memory responses beyond one year post-infection, suggesting the long-term persistence of cellular immunity. These insights contribute to the understanding of COVID-19 immunology in pregnant women, highlighting the importance of considering both humoral and cellular immune responses in this high-risk population.