DENVER (KDVR) — Health experts are weighing in on what pregnant and nursing mothers or women trying to conceive should consider when getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
“For me, it’s an easy decision to say, ‘Yes,’” Dr. Anna Euser, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at UCHealth said. “I understand the limits of what we know and what we don’t know, but I still feel more comfortable getting the vaccine than to go unprotected.”
Dr. Euser is 35 weeks pregnant and has gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.
“None of the professional organizations are mandating it or saying that everyone has to get the vaccine, but they’re all saying if you feel comfortable, this shouldn’t change your reproductive status,” Dr. Euser said.
She says pregnant and nursing mothers have not intentionally been included in COVID-19 vaccine trials, however about two dozen women did become pregnant while taking part in Pfizer’s vaccine trial.
“They didn’t report any bad outcomes for those women,” Dr. Euser said. “Even though it wasn’t studied in that population, there’s not a reason that we would have any concern that there would be higher risks.”
She stresses that deciding to get the vaccine is a personal decision and suggests weighing the risks of not getting the vaccine.
“Do you have health conditions other than your pregnancy that put you at higher risk of serious COVID-19?” Dr. Euser said. “Also, what’s your exposure risk? Are you someone who is able to quarantine at home?”
Anyone with questions or concerns about getting the vaccine should consult their doctor.