COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy is Safe and Recommended

Two years into the pandemic, the COVID-19 vaccine is strongly recommended for pregnant people by numerous professional medical organizations and yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), just over 40 percent of that population is vaccinated against the virus, compared to 65 percent of the general U.S. population.  

Here at the Women’s Center of South Shore Medical Center, the vaccination rate among pregnant patients is 46% -- higher than the numbers nationally, but still concerning based on what we know about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines and the serious risks COVID-19 infections pose to pregnant people and their babies.

Because early trials did not include pregnant individuals, information about the safety of the vaccine for that population was limited when the immunizations were first being administered late in 2020.

Early on, we didn’t know what to tell patients. It took time even within the medical community to fully get on board with recommending the COVID vaccine for pregnant people, and it took studies and data from the CDC to help support those recommendations.

All of the OB/GYN providers at the Women’s Center strongly support COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy – here’s why:

It’s safe – for you and the baby

Evidence about the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy is growing and shows the benefits of receiving the shot far outweigh any potential vaccination risks.

COVID-19 vaccines do not contain live virus and cannot cause a COVID-19 infection in anyone, including people who are pregnant or their babies. And there is no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.

The CDC has tracked more than 198,000 people who received the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant, and studies have shown no increased safety risks or adverse outcomes for mothers or babies.

No increased risk for miscarriage was found among people who received the COVID-19 vaccine just before and during early pregnancy (up to 20 weeks), and scientific studies showed no safety concerns for pregnant people who received the vaccine late in pregnancy.

In fact, data shows vaccination during pregnancy builds antibodies, and that protection can be passed to the baby before and after birth. Vaccine-generated antibodies have been found in umbilical cord blood and breast milk following maternal vaccination.

The risks of being unvaccinated and pregnant are just too high

My concern for the unvaccinated is for both the patient and the baby. We now have clear evidence of the effect the virus can have on both.

According to the CDC, people who are pregnant have a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 infection requiring hospitalization, intensive care, the need for a ventilator to breathe, or illness resulting death.

A new study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), found that pregnant people with moderate to severe COVID-19 infection were more likely to have a cesarean delivery, deliver preterm (before 37 weeks), die around the time of birth, or experience serious illness from hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage, or other infections. They were also more likely to lose the pregnancy or have an infant die in the newborn period.

In babies born to people who had COVID-19 during pregnancy, there is an increased risk that the newborn will need care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). And data has shown a newborn can get the virus if they are exposed to it.

For all these reasons, it’s important that we provide our patients with information about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine as well as the risks of contracting the virus while pregnant. 

Patients can receive COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots during any trimester and at the same time as flu and other recommended vaccines.

While the Women’s Center does not administer the COVID-19 vaccine, it is widely available at pharmacies throughout the region.

OB/GYN experts strongly support COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people

As the CDC continues to monitor COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy and evidence mounts supporting both its safety and efficacy for pregnant people and their babies, numerous professional medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians (ACOG), the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), the Society of OB/GYN Hospitalists (SOGH), and the American College of Nurse Midwives, have endorsed the shots.

If you have questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine, I encourage you to speak with your OB-GYN or other health care provider and get the facts.

Ingrid E. Kotch, MD, is the Chief of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ambulatory Care at the Women’s Center of South Shore Medical Center. Learn more about obstetric/gynecological care and maternal fetal medicine at South Shore Health.