Facts Are Important: COVID-19 Vaccines

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When it comes to preventive care, it’s important to know the facts so that you can make informed decisions. One fact about vaccines is that they are the most effective way to reduce the harmful effects of respiratory viruses and bacterial infections. Viruses and infections can cause severe complications in pregnancy, including low birth weight, preterm birth, pregnancy loss, breathing issues, hospitalization, and, in some cases, death. Vaccination is safe, effective, and proven to keep you and your fetus safe during pregnancy.

ACOG has long provided evidence-based recommendations and guidance on vaccination during pregnancy. ACOG recommends that all pregnant and lactating people be vaccinated for COVID-19, as well as the flu, RSV, and Tdap. ACOG remains committed to combatting misinformation by continuing to share the facts about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines based on the science. Protecting and preserving evidence-based vaccine recommendations during pregnancy and the postpartum period will help protect pregnant patients, their infants, and their families. It’s so important for everyone from patients to policy makers to know the facts about COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy.

COVID-19 Vaccine Facts

The Science Hasn’t Changed

The science regarding the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines hasn’t changed. ACOG, which represents ob-gyns across the country, strongly recommends that pregnant and lactating people receive updated COVID-19 vaccines because evidence shows that the vaccines improve maternal outcomes.

COVID-19 Vaccination Is Not Associated with Pregnancy Complications

COVID-19 mRNA vaccination is not associated with an increased risk of pregnancy loss, preterm birth, infants that are small for gestational age at birth, or congenital abnormalities. A recent systematic review of CDC and FDA vaccine surveillance systems, which rely on reports from health care organizations and clinicians, continues to provide reassuring data regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy. mRNA vaccines do not replicate in the cells and cannot cause infection or alter the DNA of a person who gets the vaccine.

Pregnant People Infected with COVID-19 Are Still at Higher Risk of More Severe Illness

Pregnant people infected with COVID-19, especially those with health problems like diabetes and obesity, are at higher risk of more severe illness than people who aren’t pregnant. While natural and vaccine-driven immunity have helped to decrease—not eliminate—the risks that were associated with earlier, more virulent strains of COVID-19, there is still strong evidence of improved maternal outcomes with COVID-19 vaccination. Changes occur naturally in the body during pregnancy that suppress the immune system to protect the developing fetus. Getting the most updated vaccine will help to protect pregnant patients against COVID-19 and the new variants that can evade the body’s immune system.

Hospitalization Rates Among Newborns Remain Higher than Most Age Groups

Hospitalization rates among newborns remain higher than almost any other age group, despite a decrease in hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 infection since the start of the pandemic. Recent data show that the majority of infants hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection did not have protection for those first few months of life that they might have had if their mothers had been vaccinated.

Lactating Patients Who Receive a COVID-19 Vaccine Can Continue Breastfeeding

Lactating patients who receive a COVID-19 vaccine do not need to avoid or stop breastfeeding. Current data show that lactating people who have received the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have antibodies in their breast milk that can potentially provide infants with greater protection against infection. A growing body of evidence confirms that COVID-19 vaccination is safe during lactation.

People make their vaccination decisions based on a variety of considerations, including their medical needs, their values, and their priorities. It’s also important that they make those decisions based on the facts. For more information, see the references below.