MADISON, Wis. — A new study finds pregnant women with serious coronavirus symptoms are at greater risk of dying than non-pregnant women with the same symptoms. They also found severe illness leads to more serious complications for pregnant woman.
Dr. Matt Anderson at UW Health says it’s an intimate conversation he is currently having with his patients, but he is recommending expecting mothers to still get the COVID-19 vaccine.
That does contradict recent thinking from the WHO, which writes, “while pregnancy puts women at a higher risk of severe COVID-19, the use of this [Moderna] vaccine in pregnant women is currently not recommended, unless they are at risk of high exposure.”
Earlier this month, the WHO issued a similar recommendation about the Pfizer vaccine. We asked Doctor Anderson what factors pregnant people should consider as they choose whether to get the vaccine.
“There are a lot of really good reasons for women to be vaccinated and for us to believe that the vaccines are going to be safe for them and their babies,” said Dr. Anderson. “There is some uncertainty out there, so that’s usually a conversation that we’re just having with women when they come into our health system or have a conversation about that to help them decide what they are comfortable with.”
Despite being higher-risk for severe cases of COVID-19, expecting moms are not currently under consideration for being a priority for getting vaccinated. Considering the risks, we asked expecting mother Maggie Schessler whether it was a tough decision to get the shots. Like a true mother, she says she will do whatever it takes to keep her baby safe.
“I’ve got my card there and it’s just great, and my husband has had his two rounds too,” said Schessler. “Now that I’m at Meriter and I do OB I’ve seen COVID mothers come in and some women have been giving birth in comas and then not being able to see their babies.”
Schessler works at Meriter and got her second dose this week. She says women should talk to their health care provider about any questions or concerns they have about getting vaccinated.
With so many mothers being targeted by misinformation campaigns and conspiracy theories, it’s more critical than ever for expecting moms to get the best guidance available from their doctors.
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