No, COVID-19 is not a hereditary disease.

However, it is not impossible that a pregnant woman could pass on the illness to her unborn child. Individual cases of the illness have been reported in new-born babies who may have become infected before birth.

The risk of infection is greater after birth. Because of the close contact between mother and child, the virus can be transmitted from the mother to her new-born baby in airborne droplets or aerosols.

To reduce the risk for new-born babies, STIKO, Germany’s Standing Committee on Vaccination, therefore recommends that pregnant and breast-feeding women be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Pregnant women are recommended to have the vaccination during the second trimester of pregnancy. Women who received the first vaccination before they became pregnant should have their second vaccination in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Further information is available at the Federal Health Ministry’s website infektionsschutz.de.

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