The COVID-19 vaccine is important for pregnant women and their foets – The Mercury

With COVID-19 remaining in our community, the medical community continues to learn more about viruses, vaccines and treatments every day. During the pandemic process, we learned and refined treatment options adapted to masking to prevent the spread of the virus, social distance, and proper hand hygiene. The COVID-19 vaccine has been found to be safe and effective.

According to a recent report, in Pennsylvania, 94% of COVID-19 cases, 95% of hospitalizations and 97% of deaths were among unvaccinated people.

Doctors also carefully monitor the effects of the virus on individuals who may be at increased risk of more serious illness when infected with COVID-19, including pregnant women.

According to statistics, pregnant women are at higher risk of illness than non-pregnant women. This is of particular concern to obstetricians and gynecologists, as we take care of mothers and babies. If the mother is at risk for the virus, her baby is also at risk.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Reading Hospital has treated hundreds of pregnant women with COVID-19. As a first responder, we identified the serious health effects of the virus on women and their pregnancies. If a pregnant woman becomes infected with COVID-19, she is at increased risk of fetal death and preterm birth and requires advanced care in the NICU.

The CDC recently shared that only 31% of pregnant women were vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine. Their data also show that at the end of September 2021, there were more than 125,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in pregnant women, more than 22,000 were hospitalized and 161 died.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), CDC, and the World Health Organization all recommend and support pregnant and lactating women vaccinated with COVID-19. I am.

In conversations with patients, colleagues and the community, we remind pregnant mothers that they have been providing a variety of vaccines for a very long time. Decades of research have shown that when a vaccine is given during pregnancy, it is the mother, not the baby, who experiences the associated reaction.

The most common reactions of the COVID-19 vaccine include pain at the injection site, redness, and swelling. Others have experienced fatigue, muscle aches, nausea or headaches. These effects usually resolve within 24 hours.

Pregnant women who have been vaccinated report the same side effects of the vaccine as those who are not pregnant. I also learned that the mother only gives the baby through the placenta the antibodies that the body makes in response to the vaccination. These antibodies help protect the baby both before and after childbirth.

Here are some additional facts women need to know:

• All major specialist associations focused on obstetrics and maternal and child health support vaccination of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and women of childbearing age.

• Pregnant women are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at any vaccination site, including pharmacies, clinics and community clinics. No prescription from the caregiver is required.

• There is no scientific evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine causes childbirth problems. In fact, it is advisable to take it before childbirth treatment.

• Pregnant women should be vaccinated with both doses of COVID-19 vaccine for optimal protection from the virus.

• It is safe to inoculate the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines.

If you are vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine outside your desired medical system. Tell your doctor at your next appointment so that it can be recorded in your health record. If you have any further questions, please contact your GP or obstetrician.

I have been an obstetrician for over 30 years and know that pregnant women work very hard to care for themselves and their foets. That’s why COVID vaccination is so important — it protects you and your baby.

Dr. Mark B. Woodland is Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Reading Hospital and Chairman of the Pennsylvania State Medical Commission.