CDC: COVID-19 Vaccination Recommended for Pregnant People

The benefits of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant people outweigh any known or potential risks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Data from the v-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry showed that among 2456 women who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) before 20 weeks of pregnancy, the miscarriage rate was found to be 12.8% (95% CI, 10.8-14.8%), similar to that expected in the general population (11-16%).

Additionally, an analysis of early data from 3 safety monitoring systems showed no cause for concern among pregnant people who received the vaccine late in pregnancy or among infants born to these individuals. Limited data are available on the effects of vaccination on a breastfed infant though it has been reported that mothers who received the vaccine had antibodies in their breastmilk.

The COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for all individuals 12 years of age and older, including pregnant people. The recommendation aligns with that from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine.

“CDC encourages all pregnant people or people who are thinking about becoming pregnant and those breastfeeding to get vaccinated to protect themselves from COVID-19,” said CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky. “The vaccines are safe and effective, and it has never been more urgent to increase vaccinations as we face the highly transmissible Delta variant and see severe outcomes from COVID-19 among unvaccinated pregnant people.”

References

1. New CDC data: COVID-19 vaccination safe for pregnant people. News release. August 11, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0811-vaccine-safe-pregnant.html.
2. Head Zauche L, Wallace B, Smoots AN, et al. Receipt of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines preconception and during pregnancy and risk of self-reported spontaneous abortions, CDC v-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry 2020-21. August 9, 2021. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-798175/v1

This article originally appeared on MPR