CDC asks pregnant women to get COVID vaccine in ‘urgent’ health alert

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged pregnant women to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The “urgent” health alert issued on Wednesday came after 22 pregnant women died of COVID-19 in August, the highest monthly toll since the start of the pandemic. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said she strongly encourages women who are pregnant or considering pregnancy to consider the protective benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine to “keep their babies and themselves safe.” 

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According to CDC data, symptomatic pregnant women have a 70% chance of increased risk of death compared to women who have a symptomatic case of COVID but are not pregnant. They are also two times more likely to be admitted for intensive care. More than a quarter million cases of coronavirus in pregnant women have been reported in the US so far, including 22,000 hospitalisations.

At least 97% of the pregnant women admitted to hospital with COVID-19 this year were unvaccinated, according to data cited by CDC from the COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network.

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Only 31% of pregnant women are vaccinated, the CDC says.

The CDC had already warned that pregnant women infected with the virus were at higher risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications, including miscarriage and stillbirths.

Data released by the CDC last month showed that 2,500 women had no increased risk of miscarriage if they received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine before 20 weeks of pregnancy.

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“CDC recommends that pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19, based on new evidence about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines,” the agency said in August.

“COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to get pregnant now or might become pregnant in the future.”