Is It Safe For A Pregnant Mother To Get The COVID-19 Vaccine?

Pregnant women are among those people considered to be at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, and even death, after contacting the virus. This is why medical experts believe that pregnant mothers should be included in the list of prioritized individuals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, there are still some concerns regarding the effect of the vaccine, not only on the expecting mother, but also on the baby developing in the mother’s womb.

Doctors are very cautious about the medications being received by a pregnant woman to prevent any unwanted side effects on both the mother and her baby. The big question now is: can a pregnant mother get the COVID-19 jab without causing any trouble?

Yes, Pregnant Women Should Be Permitted To Receive The COVID-19 Vaccine

In the United States, it is stated that the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use by the FDA should not be withheld from pregnant women. The latter, who is willing to take the vaccine, must be able to get the shot. Although, pregnant mothers are reminded to check with their doctors first before heading to the vaccination site. As we all know, there are many brands of COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States, like Pfizer, Moderna, and Jansen, and while these vaccine brands offer the same high level of immunity from the virus, they are formulated differently. As such, doctors can make an informed suggestion for the patient, depending on the condition of the latter’s pregnancy, on what’s the best and safest vaccine brand to get. Apart from COVID-19 infection, pregnant women are at risk of getting other diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases.

For now, experts see no alarming concern to prevent pregnant women from getting innoculated against COVID-19, and the risk from getting the vaccine still does not outweigh its benefits that both the mother and her baby would enjoy. In fact, there were instances in some countries where the newborn baby of a woman who completed her two doses of COVID-19 vaccine during her pregnancy had developed vaccine-prompted antibodies as well. This means that there is a chance that the immunity from COVID-19 could be inherited by the baby upon his or her birth. After getting the vaccine, the expecting mother and her hubby can go to adopt the family’s very first dog.

 

What Are The Chances Of A Pregnant Mother Passing The Coronavirus To Her Baby?

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, people have become more careful in their daily activities to prevent catching the dreaded coronavirus. Those people in delicate conditons, like the elderly, patients with pre-existing illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and heart disease, and pregnant mothers, are warned against going out of their homes as they are the ones who are most vulnerable to COVID-19. We just couldn’t afford letting them be exposed to this disease, or else there could be much worse problems down the road.

Specifically speaking, pregnant mothers are at risk of developing unwanted complications once they contracted the novel coronavirus. As the physical demands of carrying a baby in their womb and eventually delivering the baby out, the virus has the potential to weaken the mothers’ immune system. The same thing goes for their unborn baby, as they are still considered defenseless against the new pathogen that is still making the doctors puzzled.

Possible Modes Of Transmission Of The Coronavirus From Mother To Baby

The big question now pertaining to prenatal care and coronavirus is if a pregnant mother positive of COVID-19 could pass the virus to her unborn child. So far, there are many studies being conducted all over the world to identify the actual modes of transmission of the virus. The apparent findings of these studies show that the primary mode of transmission is still the droplets coming out of the COVID-19 patient’s mouth or nose. Once these droplets are inhaled by another person, then there is a high chance that the coronavirus is also passed on.

However, there is still no evidence that the coronavirus can be transmitted through other bodily fluids like blood or vaginal secretions. These things mentioned are thought to be the possible modes of transmission for the unborn baby to contract the coronavirus from the mother. While this sounds like a reasonable hypothesis for now, there has yet to be a solid case to prove it.

Things like this need thorough research before considering them as facts, like the breakdown on the meaning of 333. That is why doctors believe that the unborn baby could only catch the virus once he or she is delivered.

Upon the birth of the baby, that is when both the mother and her child must take extra precaution against the virus. Aside from avoiding close contact with other people, the mothers are advised to sanitize their hands all the time to kill any possible microbes that could infect them, particularly the coronavirus. For those who are still expecting the birth of their child, pregnant mothers are also encouraged to perform exercises as this build their body’s defense against diseases.

Tips To Have A Safe Pregnancy Amid The COVID-19 Pandemic

The risk of getting sick or catching a disease as we go out of the house is always there, but the risk has never been greater since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out earlier this year. There is still so much to learn about the novel coronavirus strain that causes COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2. There is a lot of possibility about the development or mutation of this virus as time passes by, and we don’t know if it’s going to become a more potent virus that could bring more harm to the human body.

That is why we should not take our chances and protect ourselves and our loved ones by taking extra precautions, such as washing our hands and face regularly, using alcohol or hand sanitizers at all times, and keeping an adequate distance from the person next to us.

For the women who are expecting a child in the trying times of the pandemic, the safety precaution would be twice as much, as the expecting mother also needs to take care of her soon-to-be-born baby.

Could A Mother With COVID-19 Infect Her Unborn Baby With The Virus?

Upon having the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy, it is normal for a woman to be 1000% more conscious about cleanliness and safety around her, as she only wants to keep her unborn child safe from any diseases while the baby is still in her womb. When it comes to COVID-19, there is an issue whether the mother who caught the disease is likely to pass the virus to her baby. As per CDC, there is still no strong evidence to suggest this scenario. The primary mode of transmission of COVID-19 is through respiratory droplets, so it appears unlikely that the child in the womb will be infected by a mom positive with COVID-19.

Although, as mentioned earlier, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is still pretty new, and further studies must be conducted first to say for certain that a mother-to-infect transmissionof the virus is possible. The mother should not take her chances to catch the disease, so that there will be virtually no chance that the baby will get infected.


At this point, it is best to ensure that the mother and the people around her, like fellow expecting mothers and caregivers, are wearing cloth face masks at all times. The mom should also have a hand sanitizer with her to maintain proper hygiene. Before the baby is out, it might also be the right time for you to check the latest high-quality breast pump that will come in handy later on.