As with any other infection, COVID-19 also ups your chances of getting a fever, Dr. Zargarzadeh notes, which brings ample risks for a fetus during pregnancy. (It’s the reason you should never “tough out” a fever while pregnant, contrary to President Trump’s recent announcement, and should use acetaminophen (a.k.a. Tylenol) to reduce it.) So, some of the pregnancy-related upsides of the shot may be explained by mom avoiding a fever.
Pregnant people are also more susceptible to severe COVID outcomes because of a dampened immune response, designed to keep their bodies from attacking the fetus. “They can get very sick, and wind up in the intensive care unit on a ventilator,” Dr. Dowler points out. “You can imagine the impact that would have on a growing baby.” So, lowering the risk of hospitalization and major illness for the pregnant person is another way in which the COVID-19 vaccine can lead to safer, healthier pregnancies and births.
Not to mention the potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy after childbirth. Though the current review didn’t explore this facet, prior research has shown that women who get vaccinated during pregnancy pass some of their virus protection to their babies, Dr. Dowler says, “so they’re born with some immunity.” This can help shield them from catching the virus—which more often leads to serious complications and hospitalization in newborns—up until the time when they qualify to get the vaccine themselves, at six months old.
Can pregnant people still get the COVID-19 vaccine for free?
Unclear recommendations have unfortunately put access and insurance coverage into jeopardy this year. Both typically hinge on the CDC’s final word about which vaccines are recommended and for what groups, but that decision, released September 19, is vague, suggesting that everyone consult their doctor about the vaccine and utilize “shared clinical decision-making.” Plus, the CDC page covering vaccination during pregnancy lists “no guidance/not applicable” for COVID-19, leaving pregnant folks in a bit of a gray area.
Ultimately, your access and coverage may vary depending on the state you live in and where you go to receive the vaccine. Regarding states, differences in laws could affect whether pharmacists are able to distribute vaccines (to anyone, pregnant or not) under the CDC’s new “shared clinical decision-making” recommendation; that extra caveat may also leave the door open for insurers to deny coverage for some people. (It’s worth noting that several states on the West Coast and in the Northeast have banded together to develop their own vaccine recommendations, which could ease access and coverage.)
But the good news is, none of the shifts in vaccine recommendations prevent a doctor from offering the shot to anyone, pregnant women included. (Doctors are fully qualified to participate in the CDC’s suggested “clinical decision-making.”) And pregnancy typically entails multiple doctors’ visits, so Dr. Dowler recommends asking if you can get the shot during one of these checkpoints—if your provider doesn’t bring it up first. Ultimately, that means your ability to get it may depend on the discretion of your doctor. But, Dr. Dowler says, “my guess is that the vast majority of maternity care providers are not going to want you to leave the office without it.”
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