MADISON (WKOW) – When state health officials announced new groups that will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Wisconsin from March 29, it opened the door for those who are pregnant, including me.
I was thrilled to learn that I would have the opportunity to protect myself, my baby and my family from the virus. But, I had a lot of questions. Is the vaccine safe during pregnancy? Is there any risk to my baby? I immediately called my doctor and spent the day doing research.
What I found was a guarantee that getting the vaccine is safe for me and my family, but each person’s situation is different and they should discuss their options with their doctor.
UnityPoint Health-Meriter shares an incredibly useful brochure with patients who answer questions about the benefits and risks of the vaccine for pregnant women. This cleared up a lot of confusion for me.
The information describes that COVID patients who are pregnant are 5 times more likely to end up in the intensive care unit (ICU) or on a ventilator than COVID patients who are not pregnant. Premature birth may be more common for pregnant women with severe COVID. Pregnant people are more likely to die from COVID than non-pregnant women with
COVID who are the same age. Vaccines can offer protection against this. COVID mRNA vaccines prevent about 95% of COVID infections.
It is also important to note that COVID mRNA vaccines cannot deliver COVID. They have no live virus and there is no evidence that they are harmful to pregnant women.
When it comes to risks, vaccines have not been tested on pregnant or breastfeeding women and health officials are unsure whether vaccines work well on pregnant women. But the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine strongly recommends that pregnant women have access to the COVID vaccines and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that the COVID vaccine should not be denied to pregnant women.
I also spoke with Dr. William Hartman of UW Health about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant and breastfeeding women during the special Getting Answers from our COVID-19 vaccine.
Although there are no clear recommendations, each person must weigh their own risks and benefits with their doctor and family.
For me, there is a lot to consider. Not only am I trying to protect my baby and myself, but my 2-year-old son has a congenital heart defect that can put him at greater risk for serious COVID complications. With all that I have learned, I am grateful for the opportunity to have this additional layer of protection for all of us through the vaccine and I will schedule my appointment.