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Today I received the COVID-19 vaccine. I’m also 17 weeks pregnant!
It wasn’t an easy choice, but reading the stories of many other pregnant health care workers #onhere helped me to decide. 1/8
It wasn’t an easy choice, but reading the stories of many other pregnant health care workers #onhere helped me to decide. 1/8
That’s why I want to share a few reasons I chose to be vaccinated, in case it helps someone else to think through it.
Pregnant people who get COVID have a 5x greater risk of ending up in the ICU or on a ventilator: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6925a1.htm 2/8
Pregnant people who get COVID have a 5x greater risk of ending up in the ICU or on a ventilator: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6925a1.htm 2/8
There’s also a greater risk of preterm delivery. And pregnant people with COVID are more likely to die than nonpregnant same-aged adults.
The COVID vaccine is new, and it wasn’t tested in pregnant people, so we don’t have information yet on its safety or efficacy. 3/8
The COVID vaccine is new, and it wasn’t tested in pregnant people, so we don’t have information yet on its safety or efficacy. 3/8
However there’s nothing in the ingredients or the way it works that make experts (or me) concerned that it may cause problems in pregnancy.
The vaccine is extremely effective – among nonpregnant adults, it prevented 94-95% of cases in preliminary studies. 4/8
The vaccine is extremely effective – among nonpregnant adults, it prevented 94-95% of cases in preliminary studies. 4/8
The antibodies my immune system makes will be passed to my baby to protect them from COVID. Furthermore, there are many vaccines that work in different ways and are safe in pregnancy, including the flu shot. 5/8
I spent a few weeks talking to my doctors and to pregnant friends in health care before I got vaccinated. When I considered the theoretical but unknown risks of a new vaccine & the real risks of COVID in pregnancy, for me the decision was clear. 6/8
I also read the statements of professional organizations to get expert opinions, like @ACOG ( https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/12/vaccinating-pregnant-and-lactating-patients-against-covid-19) & @MySMFM ( https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.smfm.org/media/2591/SMFM_Vaccine_Statement_12-1-20_(final).pdf).
Here’s another helpful resource: https://www.bmc.org/sites/default/files/documents/covid/COVIDVaccineSharedDecisionMakingInformationfor%20PregnantWoman.pdf 7/8
Here’s another helpful resource: https://www.bmc.org/sites/default/files/documents/covid/COVIDVaccineSharedDecisionMakingInformationfor%20PregnantWoman.pdf 7/8
And for those who are pregnant and have received the vaccine, consider taking a survey ( https://redcap.iths.org/surveys/?s=87JFRCL8R8&fbclid=IwAR0q_JtH7BB-AgIHEtPRkv-YiEFowh2dTLpJzhcnR-p9qPuzuqHy6X6beRA) so we can continue to monitor the vaccine.
All vaccinated adults should consider enrolling in CDC's V-SAFE, too: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html 8/8
All vaccinated adults should consider enrolling in CDC's V-SAFE, too: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html 8/8
