The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated on Wednesday that pregnant women should be vaccinated against Covid-19, based on a recent study that found no increased risk of miscarriage.
The CDC stated that neither the latest research nor previous studies have shown any safety risks for pregnant women. It said that the rate of miscarriage following vaccination was comparable to the expected rate. Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson are the three vaccinations that have been given emergency authorization to pregnant women.
The organization had previously stated that pregnant women should consider immunization with their health care professionals rather than getting vaccinated.
Vaccine uptake in pregnant women has been poor, according to Sascha Ellington, team lead for the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health’s Emergency Preparedness and Response team. Only 23% of pregnant women had received at least one vaccine dose.
“We want to enhance that,” Ellington said, adding that the CDC was working on ways to get obstetricians and gynecologists to become vaccine providers. “We want women to feel safe. There are no warning signs, thus the advantages of immunization much outweigh any prospective or undiscovered hazards.”
According to the CDC, pregnancy raises the chance of severe Covid-19 sickness, and Covid-19 during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth.
The CDC now advises that all people aged 12 and up get vaccinated against Covid-19, including those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, attempting to conceive, or may become pregnant in the future.
“We’re all aware of the reproductive myths that have been circulating. They are not supported by evidence. There is no scientific evidence for this “Ellington said. “We hope this is of assistance.”
The new guideline comes as the number of cases and hospitalizations in the United States has risen dramatically in the last month. Some hospitals in Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi are beyond capacity, and the outbreak is moving beyond the US South’s epicenter to Oregon and Washington.