COVID-19 Vaccination Considerations for Pregnant People
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists听(础颁翱骋)鈥迟丑别听听for obstetrician鈥揼ynecologists鈥攈as developed听听蹿辞谤听COVID-19听vaccine use for pregnant and lactating patients.听Laura E. Riley, MD,听chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology鈥and听Given Foundation Professor in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology听Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, helped draft 迟丑别听evolving听recommendations.听听
Pregnant people are at greater risk for severe illness from COVID-19
鈥泪f a pregnant or lactating patient meets 迟丑别听, vaccines should not be withheld,鈥澨Dr. Riley听explains. 鈥淎lthough data on these patients isn鈥檛 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.鈥听听
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.听
听鈥淲hile a conversation with a clinician may be helpful,鈥 迟丑别听听states,听鈥泪t should not be required prior to vaccination as this may cause unnecessary barriers to access.鈥听
What pregnant people should consider with the COVID-19 vaccine
The organization also outlines several considerations regarding the vaccine:听
- There is no preference for听迟丑别听mRNA-based听Moderna听or听Pfizer-BioNtech听vaccines, although 16- and 17-year-olds only听are听eligible for the Pfizer-BioNtech听vaccine.听
- Patients should complete their two-dose series with the same vaccine.听
- Within 14 days of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, patients should not receive another type of vaccine, such as Tdap and influenza.听听
- 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 迟丑别听, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses to track potential vaccine side effects, and provide reminders about second vaccine doses.听听
- Physicians may counsel pregnant patients to take acetaminophen鈥攑roven safe for use in pregnancy鈥攊f they experience a fever following vaccination.听听听
ACOG also recommends that patients听trying听to become pregnant who meet vaccination criteria听receive the vaccine, and听says听that听those who have completed the vaccine series听don鈥檛 need to delay pregnancy.听
In fact, Dr. Riley adds, 鈥泪f a patient becomes pregnant between the first and second vaccine doses, the patient should receive 迟丑别听second听dose as indicated.鈥
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