A report studying COVID-19 vaccinations in pregnancy reveals evidence that it is safe, although the authors say more comprehensive research is needed.
What We Know:
- The initial results are based on reports from over 35,000 U.S women who received the Moderna or Pfizer shots while pregnant. The outcome of said research was similar to reports on the average pregnant woman’s health before the pandemic. The CDC published the evidence supporting this claim on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was not used in the study as it was not available when the trials began.
- U.S authorities have recently pulled the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as they examine reports of blood clots in individuals. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) endorsed vaccination during pregnancy as well on Tuesday. The endorsement arrives following research they have done for over a year. The ASRM expressed support for the CDC’s research in a statement saying, “Everyone, including pregnant women and those seeking to become pregnant, should get a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines are safe and effective.”
- The ASRM has not conducted any research on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. American College for Obstetricians and Gynecologists representative called the CDC report “promising” but admits that a longer-term follow-up is needed. The group has previously stated that the vaccine should be available to pregnant women and to those who are breastfeeding. Pregnant women were originally excluded from the studies that led to emergency authorization for the vaccines.
- Evidence had also revealed no harm to women who were unknowingly pregnant when they enrolled for the vaccine. Pregnant women who become infected with the coronavirus face elevated risks for complications. These complications include intensive care hospitalization, premature births, and death. The authors of the study claim that continued monitoring and evidence are needed, especially in women who get vaccinated in the early stages of pregnancy.
The study included reports on pregnancy complications from about 4,000 women enrolled in a U.S vaccine safety registry.
