Italy's National Health Institute (ISS) has recommended that pregnant women should get COVID-19 vaccines after the first three months of their pregnancy, Reuters news agency reported on Friday.

The Italian health authority stated that it was advising women to receive two mRNA-based shots in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

According to the ISS, its decision was due to growing evidence on the safety of vaccines during pregnancies for both the foetus and the mother.

Women who are breastfeeding can safely get vaccinated, ISS adding, saying that infants can safely absorb antibodies via milk.

Italy is currently administering two vaccines based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, one made by BioNTech (Nasdaq:BNTX) in partnership with Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), and a second from Moderna Inc (Nasdaq:MRNA).