What should I know about COVID-19 vaccines if I am pregnant?

What should I know about COVID-19 vaccines if I am pregnant?

Vaccination is probably the best way to prevent COVID-19 during pregnancy, when the risks of serious illness and death from the virus are higher than usual.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says COVID-19 vaccines should not be retained in pregnant women and that women should discuss the individual risks and benefits with their health care providers.

The U.S. government’s emergency clearance for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being rolled out to priority groups does not contemplate pregnancy as a reason to hold back shots.

But the OB-GYN group says women should consult their doctors, as COVID-19 vaccines have not yet been tested in pregnant women. Safety and effectiveness testing is reassuring from studies that inadvertently included some women who didn’t know they were pregnant when they enrolled.

More responses are expected from upcoming research, including a study by Pfizer and German partner BioNTech that will begin earlier this year that will include pregnant women.

Experts say there is no reason to think the two authorized vaccines will harm fetuses. They could even protect them from the development of COVID-19, although this has not yet been proven, said Dr. Denise Jamieson, president of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine.

This thinking comes in part from experience with flu and whooping cough vaccines, which are approved for use during pregnancy and protect newborns and their mothers from the development of these diseases.

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The AP answers your questions about the coronavirus in this series. Send them to: [email protected].

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