COVID-19 vaccine recommended for pregnant women after study shows safety

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations for pregnant women after preliminary data published in The New England Journal of Medicine found no obvious safety signals among those who received the vaccine.

The study included a total of 35,691 participants who were 16 to 54 years old and identified as pregnant. The researchers used data from the “v-safe after vaccination health checker” surveillance system, the v-safe pregnancy registry, and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to characterize the initial safety of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines in pregnant persons.

Though the study did not reveal any obvious safety concerns, the researchers said 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.

CDC representatives said they believe they are unlikely to pose a risk for people who are pregnant. However, there are currently limited data on the safety. The agency encourages pregnant women who would like to receive the COVID-19 enroll in a v-safe pregnancy registry, which offers personalized health check-ins after vaccination.

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