“Pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people. If you are pregnant, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19. If you have questions about getting vaccinated, a conversation with your healthcare provider might help, but is not required for vaccination.” – The Centers for Disease Control
There are a lot of questions surrounding pregnancy and COVID-19 vaccine safety. Here is some information for our patients:
- If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or considering getting pregnant, it is important to think about getting the COVID-19 vaccine! Many people who are pregnant or breastfeeding are choosing to get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and their families.
- People who are pregnant and get COVID-19 infection have a higher chance of severe illness and complications than a person who is not pregnant. For this reason, medical providers and public health agencies like the CDC and Vermont Department of Health feel it is important for all pregnant people to be offered the COVID-19 vaccine. You should talk with your CHC medical provider about getting vaccinated and whether this decision is right for you.
- What does the research say? Pregnant people were not included in the original COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, but the CDC and other researchers have been observing data from people who have been vaccinated during pregnancy and breastfeeding since December 2020. To date, no safety concerns have been identified. Medical providers have routinely and safely given pregnant people other types of vaccinations in pregnancy for a long time: we recommend the flu and TDaP shots during each pregnancy to protect the pregnant person and their baby against influenza as well as tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. The current research on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy shows that after the pregnant person gets the vaccine, their body makes antibodies to protect against COVID infection. Researchers have seen that these protective antibodies are passed to baby during pregnancy and breastfeeding; this may help protect the newborn from COVID infection.
- At this time, there have been no adverse effects to mothers or babies due to COVID-19 vaccine received during pregnancy. There are no known risks to the pregnancy, the baby, or to a person’s fertility from the COVID-19 vaccine. None of the available COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility.
If you would like more information please talk with your CHC medical/OB provider.
Here is more information from trusted sources!
COVID Vaccine Fact Sheet from MotherToBaby
CDC Information on COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Conversation Guide for Clinicians
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Key Recommendations Sheet