UT OB / Gyn says pregnant women can be vaccinated, as more studies and data show

Knoxville, Tennessee (WATE) —Yes, pregnant or postpartum and lactating women can safely receive the COVID-19 vaccine. New data and research on this topic wasn’t very long, according to healthcare professionals and OB / Gyn, a OB / Gyn at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, who hosted a virtual briefing on this topic on Thursday.

Dr. Kimberly Fortner, Vice-Chair of the UT OB / Gyn Division and Vice President of Women and Infants Services, answered questions from mothers using a set of data and studies on the COVID-19 vaccine and women’s health. Specifically, women who are pregnant or have recently given birth, and the effects of viruses and vaccines. The virtual information session was hosted on the UT Medical Center Facebook page.

Fortner used the automotive terminology to make a relevant analogy to compare vaccine and mask use with viruses. Key Questions and Concerns Addressed by Fortner – How the COVID-19 Vaccine Affects Pregnancy.

“The good news is that vaccination is very effective against severe illnesses, but it does not prevent all illnesses,” Fortner said. “Compared to the seat belts that clip the vaccine when you get in the car, my mask is actually an airbag …. For a while, you’ll need both mechanisms. That’s not the news you want to hear. , Facts are facts. We are all like traveling together. “

Fortner also shared that on July 30, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society issued a formal statement recommending vaccines during pregnancy.

“It’s a big stance, it’s a big change,” Fortner said. “Well, we admit that the study wasn’t done in pregnant women,” he stopped saying. In a previous video I did with this setting, I covered some of the initial data. And the recommendation at the time was that you had to talk to your provider.

“Currently, based on safety data to date, we continue to positively confirm that everyone is very happy and that vaccination during pregnancy has no adverse effects.”

The data are the king of research, and so far they have not reported that pregnant women vaccinated with coronavirus have seen any particular safety concerns during pregnancy or childbirth, Fortner said. Explained. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, as of July 6, a total of 130,435 pregnant women have been vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine in all semesters.

However, the data available is limited.

“I think that’s what comes to mind … I know the data available from previous studies. I’m not saying that I have 10 years of data,” Fortner said. “But there is certainly an increased risk of COVID infection.”

What if you want to get pregnant? Fortner said it would be difficult to track all that data. However, reproductive endocrinology colleagues have studied both animal and volunteer humans and have so far found no adverse effects on animal ovaries and ovaries, and human ovulation. In addition, there was no adverse effect on implantation of embryos during in vitro fertilization, and there was no change in male sperm.

Fortner also said that the increased risk of miscarriage due to the COVID vaccine is not known. But they are still learning about miscarriage. There isn’t much data pointing to COVID vaccines that cause infertility, Fortner said.

She needs to continue to ensure that her data is backed up by good and reliable resources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the UT Medical Center, and other authorities such as the American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Maternal Society. Said. -Fetal medicine. The data is there.

What if I’m trying to get pregnant or hesitate to get the vaccine if I’m pregnant? Fortner said he would encourage people to look at the available safety data.

“I send you a very strong message about vaccine vs. illness-encourage, encourage, encourage-even vaccinated illnesses will do much better than unvaccinated illnesses.” Fortner said.

One asked about the confusion surrounding masks and pregnancy.

“It’s a really difficult and paid argument, isn’t it?” Fortner said. “As the prevalence of our community increases with increasing circulatory disease, and with increasing herd immunity and increasing incidence, it is very difficult at current vaccination rates. Also, delta variants and their Infectivity often requires additional masks. “

For late-gestation, postpartum, and lactating women, vaccine antibodies generally take longer to reach the baby. Fortner called the antibody a “gift” from the mother’s body to the baby. Antibodies given during the placental circulation last for the first 3 months of life in the newborn. That is when their immune system is weakest.

Fortner advised his mother to think about timing. Vaccinated breastfeeding mothers can safely breastfeed their babies, but it takes time to pass antibodies. But again, data are limited in breast milk and COVID-19 vaccine studies. Fortner believes that higher levels of antibody in breast milk may be needed to convey similar antibody “serum” levels to babies.

“But what do you guess? It’s been working for thousands of years-depending on where your beliefs are-(or) for millions of years. Breastfeeding, antibody delivery, to babies. We know that there is good data behind our protection, “says Fortner.

Fortner recommends that you visit this joint site if you need more information on the topic of COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy. Tennessee Perinatal Quality Control Initiative (TIPQC) – Vaccine webinar series..