The COVID-19 vaccination drive opened for all persons above 18 years of age from May 1. On May 10, India recorded 3.66 lakh new cases, 3700 deaths. The country is currently reeling from the major upheaval of Covid-19 and is struggling to combat the second wave of the deadly virus. There is a lot of uncertainty during these trying times, people are not aware of the efficacy of the vaccination, especially for pregnant, lactating women.
According to a large study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccines are safe for use during pregnancy and may also protect the baby from infectious disease. The CDC “recommends that pregnant people receive the Covid-19 vaccine”, NPR.org reported CDC Director Rochelle Walensky as saying.
For the study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the team evaluated data from more than 35,000 pregnant women who received the mRNA vaccines between December 14 and February 28. The preliminary findings showed no obvious safety concerns.
“Importantly, no safety concerns were observed for people vaccinated in the third trimester or safety concerns for their babies,” Walensky said. “As such, CDC recommends that pregnant people receive the Covid-19 vaccine,” she added.
However, the decision to get vaccinated while pregnant is a “deeply personal” one, said Walensky.
Pregnant individuals reported pain at the injection site more frequently than their non-pregnant counterparts but fewer follow-up symptoms such as headache, chills, muscle pain, and fever.
Further, the rates of preterm births and miscarriages among the vaccinated people who completed their pregnancies during the study period were similar to those of the general pregnant population, the report said.
“Preliminary findings did not show obvious safety signals among pregnant persons who received mRNA Covid-19 vaccines,” the researchers said.
“However, more longitudinal follow-up, including follow-up of large numbers of women vaccinated earlier in pregnancy, is necessary to inform maternal, pregnancy, and infant outcomes,” they added.
Early clinical trials of the two-dose shots did not include pregnant individuals, limiting data and creating a sense of uncertainty for many.
But, the CDC, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and American Academy of Pediatrics have all previously issued guidance “indicating that Covid-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant persons,” as the study noted.
What does Ministry of Health and Family Welfare about the COVID-19 vaccine for Pregnant women?
The recommendations from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, say that pregnant and lactating mothers are a contraindication to the Covid-19 vaccination. This is based on the principle that there is no date available to ensure safety in pregnancy. Both the vaccine manufacturers in India also state the same in their product literature. This is also relevant from the point of view that vaccination in India was started on a “trial mode”, according to a Telegraph report.
Can it Cause Harm to Pregnant Women?
The Telegraph report says that vaccines against coronavirus cannot cause harm or result in infection. ‘’Since other non-live inactivated and toxoid-based vaccines (whooping cough, influenza, and tetanus) are considered to be safe for pregnant women and their unborn babies, the same principle applies for Covid-19,” it says.
WHO has suggested that only pregnant women at a higher risk of contracting the virus and those who are likely to develop serious complications of Covid-19 infections should be vaccinated.
When is the best time to get the COVID-19 jab?
Pregnant women should take the COVID-19 vaccine after the first 12 weeks (first trimester). They can plan their first dose any time from 13 weeks onwards and complete the second dose much before 28 weeks, says the leading portal.
(Agency inputs included)