Pregnant women are at higher risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19. For some, a coronavirus infection could turn fatal even. It is most likely that a pregnant woman would require treatment in the intensive care unit if their symptoms worsen. Therefore, governments across the world are recommending that pregnant women should get vaccinated.
How Does COVID-19 Affect Pregnant Women?
Someone who is pregnant or was recently pregnant is at a higher risk of getting severely ill due to COVID-19. They may require hospitalization, intensive care treatment, and even ventilator support to stop their breathing distress. Pregnant women who contract COVID-19 are also at a higher risk of delivery before the 37th week and most of them may require a C-section delivery. If the pregnant woman has some underlying health conditions such as diabetes then it becomes even more serious. In addition, newborns of COVID-19 positive new mothers have higher chances of need for neonatal care.
What Is The COVID-19 Vaccine?
Safe and effective vaccination is an important tool to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Being vaccinated ensures you are protected against the virus. Even if you get the virus, you will experience only milder symptoms as compared to an unvaccinated person. When a large number of people get vaccinated they also contribute to creating herd immunity against the disease. Vaccines of COVID-19 have gone through clinical trials and various safety quality controls, and are safe. Moreover, authorities are constantly monitoring vaccines to minimize any adverse effects. Some people may experience side effects such as fever, chills, body ache, fatigue etc. post-vaccination. However, there is nothing to be concerned about.
How Vaccines Can Help Pregnant Women?
Vaccines are highly recommended for pregnant and recently pregnant women. Vaccines are safe and can protect them from getting severely ill due to COVID-19. Vaccines can also build antibodies that will protect the fetus from getting affected. There is a misconception that COVID-19 vaccines contain a live virus that can harm the mother and child. However, this is far from the truth. The COVID-19 vaccine does not alter your DNA structure. It does not cause any genetic change in your baby. Studies have shown that vaccinated pregnant women had recovered better from COVID-19 than unvaccinated pregnant women. Vaccination during pregnancy does not cause premature delivery or low birth weight. During clinical trials of the vaccines, no harmful effects were observed among pregnant women.
Is it Safe For Breastfeeding Women To Take COVID-19 Vaccines?
Breast milk does not spread the novel coronavirus. The bigger concern is that a lactating mother may spread the virus to her baby through respiratory droplets. Therefore, always wash your hands before breastfeeding and wear a mask. COVID-19 vaccination is highly recommended for lactating mothers. These vaccines are safe and do not cause any infection in the mother and baby. Vaccines are effective in keeping a breastfeeding mother and her baby safe. Reports have shown that mothers who got vaccinated have antibodies in their breast milk that can prevent their babies from getting COVID 19.
Vaccines are also perfectly safe for women who are planning to have a baby.
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