FORT WORTH, Texas — Two leading obstetricians’ groups – the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine – recently recommended COVID-19 shots for all pregnant women, citing concerns over rising cases and low vaccination rates.
“I'm excited and a little bit relieved that they have come out with an official position regarding the vaccine in pregnant women,” Texas Health Dallas OBGYN and medical staff president Dr. Sheila Chhutani said. “I am recommending that (my patients) get the vaccine. I recommend either the Moderna or the Pfizer for my pregnant women.”
ACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine had previously said pregnant people shouldn’t be excluded from vaccination but stopped short of endorsing the shots. On Friday, the two groups said vaccinations in tens of thousands of pregnant women over the past several months have shown the shots are safe and effective during pregnancy.
"I trust what ACOG is saying and I'm also trusting what the science is saying,” Chhutani said. “These vaccines have been out now for over eight months and looking at the data for pregnant women who have gotten the vaccine as far as it relates to themselves as well as their babies, it's all been positive.”
“Basically they got enough data to feel comfortable saying that, but it couldn't have come at a better time,” Dr. James Herd said.
Dr. Herd is an OB/GYN and Chief Medical Officer with Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth.
“Especially with the new delta variant, which is hitting more and more young people, including young pregnant women, we're seeing an uptick in that, and an uptick in our ICU admissions for pregnant ladies, too,” Herd said.
Herd is recommending COVID-19 shots for his pregnant patients, too.
“This is going to be passively immunizing the baby -- even more reason for these pregnant women to get the COVID vaccine,” Herd said.
“The pregnant mom is getting the vaccine. It is her immune system that is making the antibodies. It is not the baby that's getting vaccinated,” Chhutani said.
Herd said one of the most common questions his pregnant patients ask is about the temporary side effects after getting the vaccine.
“Will the fever affect the baby? We're not seeing high, high fevers in our pregnant ladies that we're vaccinating, so it should not be a problem,” Herd said.
Both Herd and Chhutani have had patients test positive for COVID. Some only experience mild symptoms, they said, but others do end up in the ICU.
“I never want to see a time or place where the mom and babies are separated because mom is so sick and then they can't even be with their newborn babies, and this is something that we can prevent,” Chhutani said.
More questions? Check out ACOG’s COVID-19 FAQ page here.