COVID-19 Vaccine and Pregnancy: Govt Issued Fresh Guidelines
- Shubham Goyal
- June 29, 2021
- News
COVID-19 – The Union Health Minister has issued fresh guidelines for pregnant women for administering the COVID-19 vaccine and said that pregnancy doesn’t increase the risk of infection. “Most pregnant women will be asymptomatic or have a mild disease, but their health may deteriorate rapidly and that might affect the fetus too. It is important to take all precautions to protect themselves from infecting COVID-19, including taking vaccination against COVID-19. It is therefore advised that a pregnant woman should take COVID-19 vaccine”– the ministry said on Monday.
How Safe is COVID-19 Vaccine for Pregnant Women?
The Ministry said in the statement that COVID-19 vaccines available are completely safe and it will protect pregnant women against coronavirus infection. However, the vaccination may have mild side effects such as fever, pain at the injection site, or feeling uneasy for merely 1-3 days. The long-term side effects for the fetus are not found yet. In some cases (one in 100,000-500,000) pregnant women over 35 years may experience the following symptoms within 20 days after getting vaccination which may require immediate attention, the ministry stated.
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
What is the COVID-19 Recovery Rate for Pregnant Women?
If pregnant women get infected, there is nothing to worry about. 90% of women recover without hospitalization, while rapid deterioration in health may occur in a few. “Symptomatic pregnant women appear to be at an increased risk of severe disease and health. In cases of severe, pregnant women shall also need hospitalization, it further said.”
What Would be the Health of Newborn Babies?
The ministry stated the baby’s health also. It said that more than 95% of the COVID-19 positive mothers give birth to a healthy newborn. In some cases, COVID-19 infection in pregnancy may increase the possibility of premature delivery, the baby weight may be less than 2.5 kg, and stillbirth in rare situations.
Who is at Higher Risk of Developing Complication in COVID-19 Case?
The ministry mentioned- “Women older than 35 years of age, obese, having pre-existing issues such as diabetes or higher blood pressure, history of clotting in the limbs are higher at the risk of developing complications after COVID-19 infection. In case a woman gets infected during the pregnancy, she should be vaccinated soon after the delivery.”
The Union health ministry advised all pregnant women to register themselves on the Co-WIN portal and get themselves vaccinated ASAP.
Also Read: How to Register For COVID-19 Vaccination