COVID-19 Vaccine is the most important tool to control and prevent the virus from infecting people. It is safe to take the vaccine in all trimesters of pregnancy.
The Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19, is rapidly mutating and giving rise to newer strains, which are even more deadly than the original virus. Therefore, while the practice of the recommended hygiene and social distancing guidelines are certainly important, they alone are not enough to combat the infection. Vaccination is the most important tool to control and prevent the virus from infecting people.
Pregnant women who get Covid-19 are at greater risk of severe illness, complications and hospitalization with intensive care, as compared to non-pregnant women. In the presence of other medical issues and co-morbidities, the risk of severe complications, miscarriage, pre-term birth, caesarian birth, and even fatality is higher. Their unborn baby is also at risk of being adversely affected and it may result in neonatal morbidity.
Most pregnant women have been found to be skeptical and a tad apprehensive of taking the vaccine for protection against Covid-19, fearing adverse effects of the vaccine on their own health as well as the health and well being of their unborn child.
However, there is no cause for worry due to the mild fever which follows the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine dose. In fact, fever is a normal response of the body’s immune system after receiving a dose of the vaccine. Mild-to-moderate fever merely indicates that the body is responding favorably to the vaccine. It is more important to fear the fever caused by the Sars-CoV-2 virus infection, rather than the fever caused by the vaccine for its prevention.
Preliminary studies by researchers and medical experts indicate that the vaccine has no long-term adverse effects on either pregnant women or their unborn baby, save for the mild fever experienced after vaccination. In other words, it is safe for pregnant women to take the Covid-19 vaccine, under the supervision of their doctor or healthcare provider, as the benefits of taking the Covid-19 prevention vaccine during pregnancy far outweigh the potential risks.
It is safe to take the vaccine in all trimesters of pregnancy. However, for pregnant women who got infected by Covid-19 should defer vaccination for at least 12 weeks post-recovery.
Angeli Misra
Director, Lifeline Laboratory
