The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has begun across the globe, and there’s hope that we may finally be able to get the virus under control in the coming months. However, the release of vaccines has become another source of stress for women who are pregnant, thinking about getting pregnant, or are breastfeeding, as they wonder: “Should I get the vaccine?”

Our goal as anesthesiologists is to both alleviate pain and to keep the patient and baby safe. We need to anticipate any complications that could jeopardize the safety of the patient and baby on the day of delivery. We also want patients to be aware of these potential challenges in advance so they are not caught by surprise if something changes during delivery.

Getting too little sleep is a big problem in the U.S. According to the CDC, one third of adults report they get less than the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep each day, and insufficient sleep has been tied to several chronic health conditions — including type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression.