COVID-19 Vaccination Considerations for Pregnant People
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists(䰿)—ٳfor obstetrician–gynecologists—has developedڴǰCOVID-19vaccine use for pregnant and lactating patients.Laura E. Riley, MD,chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology andGiven Foundation Professor in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecologyֱ Medical College, Cornell University, helped draft ٳevolvingrecommendations.
Pregnant people are at greater risk for severe illness from COVID-19
f a pregnant or lactating patient meets ٳ, vaccines should not be withheld,”Dr. Rileyexplains. “Although data on these patients isn’t yet available, there also is no biologic reason to suspect that the vaccine would be unsafe in pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Importantly, we do know that COVID 19 disease in pregnant women is associated with greater risk for severe illness leading to ICU admission and need for mechanical ventilation.”
Pregnant patients should have access to vaccine trial data and weigh the benefits and risks of receiving the vaccine with their physicians, discussing the viral transmission rate in their community, vaccine efficacy, and virus risks and side effects to the mother and fetus or newborn, she adds.
“While a conversation with a clinician may be helpful,” ٳstates,t should not be required prior to vaccination as this may cause unnecessary barriers to access.”
What pregnant people should consider with the COVID-19 vaccine
The organization also outlines several considerations regarding the vaccine:
- There is no preference forٳmRNA-basedModernaorPfizer-BioNtechvaccines, although 16- and 17-year-olds onlyareeligible for the Pfizer-BioNtechvaccine.
- Patients should complete their two-dose series with the same vaccine.
- Within 14 days of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, patients should not receive another type of vaccine, such as Tdap and influenza.
- Patients should be counseled about potential side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine (most common include pain at the injection site, malaise, headache). Pregnant and lactating patients who receive the vaccine should know about and participate in ٳ, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses to track potential vaccine side effects, and provide reminders about second vaccine doses.
- Physicians may counsel pregnant patients to take acetaminophen—proven safe for use in pregnancy—if they experience a fever following vaccination.
ACOG also recommends that patientstryingto become pregnant who meet vaccination criteriareceive the vaccine, andsaysthatthose who have completed the vaccine seriesdon’t need to delay pregnancy.
In fact, Dr. Riley adds, f a patient becomes pregnant between the first and second vaccine doses, the patient should receive ٳseconddose as indicated.”
to stay up to date on all the latest health news and important updates from ֱ.