PORTLAND, Oregon — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging pregnant women to get the COVID-19 vaccine right away, based on new data about pregnancy and the virus.
On Thursday, the CDC issued an urgent health advisory to increase COVID-19 vaccinations among pregnant women. It aims to prevent serious illness, death and complications with pregnancy. The advisory also applies to women who were recently pregnant, breastfeeding or who may become pregnant.
According to the CDC, only 31% of pregnant women have gotten the vaccine. They tracked 125,000 confirmed cases of COVID among pregnant women, 22,000 hospitalizations and 161 deaths.
“When a woman is pregnant, there is two to three times more likelihood for severe COVID,” said Dr. Judy Marvin, executive medical director for women's services for Providence Health.”
While the CDC data is sobering, Marvin feels it also underscores the importance of vaccinating pregnant women. Out of 139,000 expectant mothers who were vaccinated, the CDC reported no unexpected or serious side effects related to the vaccine. They also found vaccinated mothers can help their babies.
“The antibodies from the vaccination cross the placenta, so the baby's born with a built-in protection against COVID,” said Marvin. “They [antibodies] also cross to the breastmilk, too.”
Many pregnant women have hesitated to get the vaccine because of the previous lack of data regarding how it may or may not impact them.
“Now it's a no brainer,” said Tracy Palmer, who is 38-weeks pregnant and got vaccinated in June. “I just wish more people would get vaccinated. It protects themselves, it protects their unborn child. Those CDC stats are really scary.”
Palmer said the only side effects she experienced after getting the vaccine were soreness in her arm and a little fatigue.
“After I got the first vaccine dose, I was incredibly surprised at how relieved I was and how much safer I felt,” said Palmer. “I'm really happy that I got vaccinated.”