Study: COVID-19 vaccines safe and effective for pregnant, lactating women
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A new study published this month in the American Journal of Gynecology went over the findings of how the COVID-19 vaccine affects pregnant and lactating women.
“If you read between the lines, clearly they’re trying to encourage women to get the vaccine — but they don’t actually say that," said Dr. Frank Rhame, infectious disease expert at Allina Health. "They say it should be discussed between you and your physician.”
Rhame says with most vaccines, any adverse side effects usually show up within six weeks, and so far, there don’t seem to be any red flags with the participants.
“The safety side of it, I think, is pretty OK. The efficacy side of it is what is harder to say,” said Rhame.
FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2021, file photo, a Scripps health official draws from a vile of the COVID-19 vaccine prior to administering it at their new drive-thru vaccination site at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, Calif.[Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, Pool, File]
He says without placebo groups that include pregnant and lactating women, it’s hard to know just how protected moms, or their newborns, might be from getting COVID-19.
Still, expecting mom Elaina Borak, didn’t want to take her chances with getting the virus. She got the shot on Friday.
Borak says she’s not experiencing any major side effects.
“I feel really good. So I have a sore arm. I didn’t bruise or anything, like my previous vaccines I’ve gotten while pregnant,” Borak said. “I don’t have a fever or chills. I was a little tired the past 24 hours. But other than that, I can’t complain.”
Borak says she had extensive conversations with her obstetrician before making an informed decision.
“I trust my OB with my life,” Borak said. “The COVID vaccine, the sequence is made up so that I get the vaccine but the baby doesn’t — the baby gets my antibodies from the vaccine. So (the vaccine) doesn’t cross the placenta.”
Rhame had a few recommendations on timing.
“It really takes two months before your antibody levels are really good. So I think you want to start certainly week 36 and after week 24 from the ‘baby’ standpoint. From the ‘you’ standpoint, [do it] as soon as you can.”