COVID-19 puts pregnancy at risk, but vaccination rates remain low

Pregnant people with COVID-19 are more than twice as likely to develop COVID-19 as non-pregnant people.

Vaccines against COVID-19 have proven to be safe and effective and are widely available, but the COVID-19 mortality rate in pregnant people is Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.. Vaccination rates have also risen slightly in recent weeks, but only 31% of pregnant residents in the United States were vaccinated in early September.

Last week, we issued a recommendation recommending “urgent action” to increase vaccination coverage for pregnant, recently pregnant, or wishing to become pregnant. Pregnant people are also eligible for COVID-19 booster shots.

“Looking at patients who gave birth, patients infected with COVID-19 are 5 times more likely to go to the ICU, 14 times more likely to need intubation, and 15 times more likely to die during hospitalization. There are twice as many, than those who do not have COVID-19, “said Dr. Emily West, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Kaiser Permanente Northwest.

A baby born of a COVID-19 person Most likely premature.. Doctors can induce labor in COVID-19-positive patients for the safety of parents and children, West said.

Late pregnancy is required of the parent’s heart, circulatory system, and lungs — and so is COVID-19. By giving birth to a premature baby, West said it may be possible to relieve the stress from the patient’s body, which could save the life of the parent or child.

“We always want to avoid preterm birth, but in some of these cases it will benefit moms and babies,” she said.

There are multiple reasons why pregnant people are at increased risk of COVID-19 complications. Some are simple: giving birth to a baby is difficult for your body, and so is COVID-19. COVID-19 also increases the risk of certain cardiovascular conditions such as blood clots, as does pregnancy. For many illnesses, pregnancy is considered an existing condition that can endanger the patient, and COVID-19 is no exception.

Our immune system has evolved to detect and attack things that are not part of our body, including the embryo. When a person becomes pregnant, the immune system undergoes a series of changes that help protect the foetation from attack. It can also leave pregnant people more vulnerable to severe infections, and COVID-19 vaccination prevents it.

At the same time, pregnant people share immune cells with the foetation. Through placenta, childbirth, and breastfeeding, babies can receive antibodies from their parents, including antibodies that protect against COVID-19.

Studies show that when pregnant parents are vaccinated with COVID-19, almost all babies are born with protective antibodies. This is important because babies appear to be at higher risk for COVID-19 than school-aged children.

Change of opinion

Earlier this year, West said patients’ attitudes towards vaccination varied.

“I have a variety of patients. Some are excited and ready to be vaccinated as soon as they are available, while others are very worried about the potential risks.” West said. She said she encourages patients to weigh the very real risk of getting COVID-19 during pregnancy.

The CDC initially declined advice for or against COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. This is because pregnant people were not included in the early trials, although there was reason to expect the vaccine to be safe during pregnancy. However, as of early September, more than 150,000 pregnant people were safely receiving the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, and complications are rare. Still, vaccination rates remain low.

However, West believes that with a little more information, there is a large group of pregnant people who may be willing to take jabs.

“I’m definitely seeing patients throughout pregnancy. They have follow-up questions, as you know, they’re starting to understand more about vaccines, and they’re more willing to receive them. The rise in case rates across the region and across the country may also reduce the resistance of some pregnant people to the vaccine, he said.

West also said that, by chance, many patients skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccine are willing to receive other vaccines recommended during pregnancy, such as influenza vaccination and whooping cough. ..

“It’s another opportunity to educate them,” West said. With the long slogan of immunizing as many people as possible, pregnant people are still an almost undeveloped population.

“Fortunately, I still have a patient every week — one yesterday —” you know, I’m ready to go ahead and take my shot, “said West. Said. “So it’s definitely worth having those conversations.”