By AMY RICKER
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — As states continue vaccinating front-line workers and nursing home residents, another dilemma faces millions of women. Should you get the COVID-19 vaccination if you are pregnant? What if you are breastfeeding?
During The University of Kansas Healthcare morning media update, OB/GYN and member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Kevin Ault said when it comes to expectant mothers, there isn’t a lot of data.
“We had a few women get pregnant during the trials of the two vaccines that are available for emergency use authorization, so we are very handicapped as far as what to tell people. There’s not a prior reason to think that a vaccine that's not a live virus would cause problems during pregnancy. So, what the ACIP and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have recommended is to recognize there isn’t much data. So, talk to your obstetrician, try to evaluate what’s going on in your community, and see what your own exposure is so there are several factors that go into that decision,” explained Ault.
Ault said more data may be on the way rather quickly due to a new program called V-Safe. V-Safe is a new CDC vaccine safety program that uses text messaging and web surveys to alert the CDC if someone has side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccination. 500 pregnant women have signed up to be a part of the program the first week of V-Safe’s launch.
If you are currently breastfeeding and are wondering about the safety of the COVID vaccination, Ault said that while there isn’t data on the safety of the vaccine in lactating women, mRNA vaccines are not considered to be a risk to a breastfeeding infant.
“It’s hard to imagine a mechanism where a vaccine goes into an arm and causes harm to a newborn. There are RNA breakdown enzymes in the arm and then the maternal circulation, the breast and then the child’s stomach. So, I’m not that worried about breastfeeding mothers. The only thing would be is if you get a fever or another reaction, your breastmilk supply might be down for a day or two. But that group, I’m not that worried about.”
Ault said that while there has been an increase in COVID-19 positive moms giving birth, pregnant women generally do “just fine” since most of them are young and healthy.