An Update on Pregnancy and COVID
- Category: Baby, Coronavirus, Women's Health
- Posted On:
- Written By: Dr. Jo A. Barrios, OBGYN
The studies and data have piled up about being pregnant and unvaccinated against COVID-19 -- you’re at a much higher risk of severe illness and have double the risk of negative outcomes like preterm birth and blood clots. But new data adds another layer to the risks pregnancy brings, even if you’re fully vaccinated.
An analysis of nearly 14 million patients’ medical records found that pregnant people vaccinated against COVID could be nearly twice as likely to have a breakthrough case of COVID. The report found that being pregnant increased a vaccinated person’s risk of a breakthrough infection more than any other co-morbidity, including solid organ transplants and immune system deficiencies.
Pregnant women who are Black or Hispanic have a higher rate of illness and death from COVID-19 than other pregnant women, as well as those with certain health conditions like obesity and gestational diabetes. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been nearly 200,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in pregnant people in the U.S., including nearly 300 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To keep yourself healthy, here are some tips:
- You can get the COVID vaccine at any point in your pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and it doesn’t need to be spaced from other vaccines, like the flu shot or Tdap booster.
- Keep up with all of your scheduled prenatal visits
- Consider additional precautions, even if you’re fully vaccinated, like wearing a mask and avoiding large events
