Pregnancy and Covid19 Facts
Liliana Amaro
This is a summary of facts that can be helpful for you.
Ø Pregnant women with COVID-19 have a higher risk of certain complications compared to non-pregnant women with COVID-19 of the same age, including:
· An increased risk (about 3 times higher) of needing admission to an intensive care unit.
· An increased risk (about 3 times higher) of needing invasive ventilation (breathing life support).
Ø COVID-19 also increases the risk of certain pregnancy complications including:
· A slightly increased risk (about 1.3 times higher) of having their baby born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
· An increased risk (about 3 times higher) of their baby needing admission to a newborn care unit.
Ø Pregnant women with certain underlying medical conditions are more likely to have a severe illness from COVID-19 compared to pregnant women without these conditions. The conditions are:
· Being older than 35 years
· Overweight or obese (body mass index above 30 kg/m2)
· Pre-existing (pre-pregnancy) high blood pressure
· Pre-existing (pre-pregnancy) diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
Ø There is no data showing COVID-19 can cause miscarriage.
Ø It is thought to be uncommon for pregnant women to pass the virus on to their babies. Current data has not confirmed vertical transmission (mother to baby in-utero transmission).
Ø No safety concerns have been identified for women who received a Pfizer vaccine during pregnancy. Complications such as premature delivery, stillbirth, small for gestational age infants, and congenital anomalies occurred at a similar rate to what is seen in the general population.
Ø If you are breastfeeding, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine at any time. You do not need to stop breastfeeding before or after vaccination.
Ø COVID-19 vaccination may provide indirect protection to babies by transferring antibodies through the placenta (for pregnant women) or through breastmilk (for breastfeeding women).