Pregnant women should be offered a Covid vaccine
Pregnant women should be offered a Covid jab in line with their age group, the UK’s vaccine advisers say.
They say the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are preferable because data from the US in 90,000 pregnant women has not raised any safety concerns.
Up until now, only women with underlying health conditions or those whose risk of exposure to the virus was high were eligible.
The shift in advice brings the UK into line with other countries.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation now advises that pregnant women should all be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available, at the same time as the rest of the population.
They can also discuss the risks and benefits with their doctor.
“There is no evidence to suggest that other vaccines are unsafe for pregnant women, but more research is needed,” it added.
“We encourage pregnant women to discuss the risks and benefits with their clinician – those at increased risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19 are encouraged to promptly
take up the offer of vaccination when offered.”
The JCVI has already said adults under 30 should be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca jab because of evidence possibly linking it to extremely rare blood clots in adults.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for the JCVI, said: “We encourage pregnant women to discuss the risks and benefits with their clinician – those at increased risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19 are encouraged to promptly take up the offer of vaccination when offered.”
Dr Edward Morris, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “Vaccination offers pregnant women the best protection from Covid-19, which can be serious in some women.
“We believe it should be a woman’s choice whether to have the vaccine or not after considering the benefits and risks, and would encourage pregnant women to discuss with a trusted source like their GP, obstetrician or midwife, or a healthcare professional in a vaccination centre.”
Women who are planning pregnancy or are breastfeeding can be vaccinated with any vaccine, depending on their age and clinical risk group, the JCVI said.
It said it would closely monitor the evidence on Covid-19 vaccination in pregnancy and update its advice as required.
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