Obstetricians and gynecologists in Canada are asking health authorities to immediately give access to COVID-19 vaccination to at-risk pregnant and lactating people. Currently, most provinces and territories responsible for administering vaccines are prioritizing seniors living in residences and the health care workers who tend to them.
Vaccines currently available in Canada have not been tested on pregnant and lactating people but panels of obstetricians and gynecologists have studied the evidence and say the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines do not contain components expected to be an issue in pregnancy. Some people who are allergic to polyethylene glycol (PEG) have had a reaction and those with severe allergies have been advised to not get the vaccine.
Doctors say the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have not been tested on pregnant women but some participants who got pregnant during the trials have not suffered adverse effects. (zoram/iStock)
‘Pregnancy…a particularly dangerous time for women’
Specialist doctors with the Ontario Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (OSOG) and the Ontario Medical Association say that during the vaccine trials some participants became pregnant and, so far, they have not shown adverse reactions. Therefore, they recommend that informed pregnant or lactating women decide whether to get vaccinated according to their risk. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada agrees that the risk for pregnant women of getting COVID-19 outweighs the risk of getting a vaccine.
“Pregnancy is a particularly dangerous time for women,” said Dr. Constance Nasello, President of OSOG. “Those who acquire viral infections in pregnancy are often sicker, and emerging evidence on Covid-19 shows a higher rate of ICU admissions and severe disease. Pregnant individuals at high risk, such as frontline healthcare workers, may choose to receive the vaccine and they should be supported. They should also be part of a registry to follow vaccinated pregnant women.”
The doctors note that COVID-19 infections are easily transmitted and that eight to 11 per cent of pregnant individuals who are infected are admitted to hospital. And two to four per cent of infected pregnant women are admitted to intensive care units for severe complications. They conclude that the vaccine should be available to at-risk pregnant women who wish to get it, and that they should discuss the option with their obstetrician.
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