COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people aged 12 and up, including those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive now, or may become pregnant in the future. Pregnant and recently pregnant women are more likely than non-pregnant women to become severely ill from COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe COVID-19 illness, says CDC on Wednesday.
Following new data proving its safety and effectiveness throughout pregnancy, the (CDC) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is increasing its recommendation that pregnant women get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The CDC stated that neither the new analysis nor previous studies revealed any safety concerns for pregnant women. It stated that miscarriage rates following vaccination were comparable to the expected rate. Pregnant women can receive any of the three vaccines approved for emergency use: Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson.
CDC states on its website that pregnant women should get COVID-19 vaccine:
COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant. If you are pregnant, you might want to have a conversation with your healthcare provider about COVID-19 vaccination. While such a conversation might be helpful, it is not required before vaccination. You can receive a COVID-19 vaccine without any additional documentation from your healthcare provider.
Previously, the agency did not recommend that pregnant women get vaccinated, but did advise them to discuss vaccination with their health care providers.
According to Sascha Ellington, team lead for the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health’s Emergency Preparedness and Response team, vaccine uptake in pregnant women has been low, with only 23% receiving at least one vaccine dose.
According to the CDC, pregnancy increases the risk of severe illness from coronavirus, and COVID in the middle of pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth.
The CDC now recommends that all people aged 12 and up get vaccinated against COVID-19, including those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, or may become pregnant in the future.
“We are aware of the myths that have been spreading related to fertility. They are not based on any evidence. There’s no science that backs that up,” Ellington said. “We hope this helps.”