An expectant mother’s first priority is the safety of her baby. So, of course, when COVID 19 vaccines were created, everyone was worried about the possible effects they could have on a developing fetus. Since the vaccine trials had excluded pregnant women, there was no data at first that could reassure pregnant women of their safety. Understandably, many do not want to take any risks despite health experts’ recommendations and reassurance.
Fortunately, since vaccination began last year, more and more information has been collected on the safety of the vaccines for pregnant women and their babies. Recent information from a study conducted at Northwestern University shows that birth defects are not associated with COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. Researchers studied and compared second-trimester ultrasounds from 2 622 pregnant women who got at least one dose of the vaccine and 534 unvaccinated pregnant women. The results showed fetal structural anomalies in 109 vaccinated women (4.2%), and 27 unvaccinated women (5.1%), meaning getting vaccinated in pregnancy does not increase the risk of birth defects. Moreover, other similar studies, like one from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and another from Israel, have had similar results.
The study analyzed 16,697 newborns who were exposed to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during the first and second trimesters in utero and 7,591 unexposed newborns. The findings revealed no significant differences between the incidence of congenital malformations, preterm birth, low birth weight, all-cause neonatal hospitalizations, postneonatal hospitalizations or infant mortality in both groups.
As healthcare providers, these findings are highly reassuring and increase our confidence when recommending our pregnant patients to get vaccinated. Our priority at El Camino Women’s Medical Group is the safety of our patients, especially of those at higher risk, so we are more than happy to provide any information and assistance needed to help them get the best healthcare possible. If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 vaccination, feel free to ask us and check our other posts on the topic.
El Camino Women’s Medical Group offers the latest Minimally Invasive Solutions for gynecologic problems. Drs. Amy Teng, Erika Balassiano, Pooja Gupta, and Christina Lam, all members of AAGL (American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopy) are highly trained and experienced in the field of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. Dr. Erika Balassiano has also completed a Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Fellowship, under the supervision of world-renowned Dr. Camran Nezhat.
All of our physicians are El Camino Hospital doctors and operate and deliver at the Mountain View campus.
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