COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy

From Washington State Department of Health:

Recently, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) posted recommendations saying pregnant individuals should not be withheld from COVID-19 vaccine, further supporting the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) current recommendations. It is believed pregnant people are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people of the same age. However, there is very limited information available on the use of either vaccine during pregnancy. A conversation between the patient and their clinical team may assist with decisions regarding the use of vaccines approved under Emergency Use Authorization. Important considerations include:

• The level of activity of the virus in the community.
• The potential efficacy of the vaccine.
• The risk and potential severity of maternal disease, including the effects of disease on the fetus and in newborn children.
• The safety of the vaccine for the pregnant patient and the fetus.

Based on current knowledge, experts believe that the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for use in the US are unlikely to pose a risk to the pregnant person or the fetus. CDC and ACOG recommend pregnant people get vaccinated as part of a the vaccination phase they are eligible for. There is no recommendation for routine pregnancy testing before receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine. Those who are trying to become pregnant do not need to avoid pregnancy after COVID-19 vaccination.

Visit the Washington State Department of Health’s COVID-19 site for more information on multiple COVID-19 topics including the Phase Finder Tool and Vaccine Locator here.

For more information on the interim clinical considerations for the use of the COVID-19 vaccine from the CDC click here