➝ Now that we have COVID-19 vaccines available, we are able to keep our pregnant folks and families safer from infection and serious illness.

➝ There is a lot of conflicting information scattered on the internet about pregnant people and the COVID-19 vaccines, let us give you facts about what the research says.

➝ Make an informed and empowered decision about getting vaccinated today for you and your family!

Urgent: On September 30, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended urgent action to increase COVID-19 vaccination among people who are pregnant, recently pregnant (including those who are lactating), who are trying to become pregnant now, or who might become pregnant in the future.

The COVID-19 vaccines. Seems like they are all anyone is talking about! With so much information shared daily, it can be hard to know where to start.

First, let’s talk about the vaccines themselves. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone eligible including people that are pregnant, breastfeeding, planning a pregnancy or may become pregnant in the future.3, 35 Right now, there are three vaccines authorized in the U.S. and two different types of vaccines. Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia is here to break down what you need to know along with helpful references for you to learn more!

Frequently Asked Questions

The vaccine will protect you and baby against severe illness, hospitalization, and death because your immune system is prepped to deal with the virus already! In fact, vaccinated people are at a 5x reduced risk of getting infected, more than 10x reduced risk of hospitalization, and more than 10x reduced risk of death compared to people who have not been vaccinated.21
Getting the vaccine when you are pregnant can help protect you AND your baby. Reports are also showing that babies can get antibodies from moms who got the vaccine through the placenta during pregnancy or through breastmilk after birth.3,10,12 There is also good news for people who want to get pregnant – there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines causes fertility problems or more miscarriages than the usual rates.3,11,15,16 If you do get vaccinated, you might be able to feel safer to go back to some of the activities you did before the pandemic.3
If you are infected, you can have mild symptoms, which can be considered a “breakthrough case”.18 The good thing is your immune system is better prepared to fight the virus because of the vaccine. Vaccines are not 100% effective, so these infections are expected, and the purpose of the COVID-19 vaccines is not only to prevent you from getting the virus, but also to prevent you from becoming very sick if you do get the virus. You are much less likely to end up hospitalized, needing a ventilator to help you breathe, and less likely to die when you are vaccinated.
Research and use of these types of vaccines have been going on for years, and are not new! That’s one reason why they were made and given out so quickly. However, they may be new to you so, here’s a rundown.
mRNA vaccines work by teaching our cells to make a “spike protein” like the protein in the virus that causes COVID-19 so it can fight off virus cells.8
- While the vaccine itself is new, the technology is not. It’s been researched in other vaccines over the last decade!8 Learn more about how these types of vaccine work here.
- The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are mRNA vaccines.
- Pfizer is FDA approved for people 5 and older and requires two doses given at least 28 days apart.6
- Moderna has EUA for people 18 and older and requires 2 doses 28 days apart.5
Viral vector vaccines work by giving important instructions to our cells using a modified version of a different virus.9 Learn more about how these types of vaccine work here.
- Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J) vaccine is a viral vector vaccine. 4
- It is only 1 dose and is approved for people 18 and older.4
Now that we know the basics of what the COVID-19 vaccines are, let’s talk about getting the vaccine while pregnant. Although they were not part of initial clinical trials, many pregnant people have taken the vaccine and have reported their experience into safety monitoring systems like the CDC’s v-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry and the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD). According to the v-safe database as of January 10th, 2022, 180,289 people reported themselves as pregnant after vaccination and of those 8,749 are enrolled in the registry.
Initial reports including data from the registry and other reports done outside the CDC, have been researching pregnancy outcomes by comparing pregnancies before the COVID-19 pandemic and pregnant people that have been vaccinated. No reports have shown significant or worrisome pregnancy outcomes for those that have been vaccinated while pregnant. This is a good sign that there is no safety concerns for pregnant people and their babies.3, 11, 12, 36
Pregnant people are not more likely to have side effects. Although not all people have side effects, if you do experience some, they are NORMAL. This immune response means your body is building up protection against the virus and can include:
- Pain, redness or swelling in the arm where you got the shot
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Chills
- Fever
- Nausea
Luckily, they don’t last long. You will feel better within a couple of days.7 Please contact your provider if they last longer or you are worried about your health. The COVID-19 vaccines will not make you sick with COVID-19, and they do not affect or change your DNA in any way.8,9
Research shows that though pregnant individuals are not more likely to get COVID-19, they are more likely to get very sick with COVID-19 and can experience pregnancy complications like preterm birth and pregnancy loss.3,10,11 Pregnant people that may also have other comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are at an even higher risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death.15 Public health experts including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly support the safety and use of these vaccines for pregnant and breastfeeding people.3, 11, 12, 13 While we are still learning and researching all things COVID-19, more and more research is showing that these vaccines are safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 and reducing severity of the illness if you do get sick.3, 11, 12
As of January 7th, 2022, there have been a total of 834,077 COVID-19 deaths in the United States.26 That’s over the number of total cancer deaths (2nd leading cause of death) and heart disease (1st leading cause of death) in the United States annually.24, 25 Most people do recover from COVID-19, but there is still the possibility of a condition or long COVID where symptoms can last weeks or months after infection. These can include a combination of symptoms like difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, tiredness, cough, diarrhea, rash, change in smell or taste, and changes in your menstrual cycle.29
When it comes to your baby, take the recommended precautions to keep your baby safe from infection during breastfeeding and other close contact if you are positive for COVID-19.
Reports show those that got vaccinated and had COVID-19 before were less likely to get sick again than those that only had COVID-19 at some point in the past and have not gotten vaccinated. Immunity to the virus is higher in people that choose to get vaccinated even if they have already gotten sick with COVID-19 before. These people who did not receive the vaccine had 2.34 times the odds of reinfection compared to people that were fully vaccinated.19 Everyone older than 12, including people who have already had a COVID-19 infection, is encouraged to get the vaccine for the best protection against COVID-19 and possible variants.
Yes. Take a look back at the question “What can the vaccines do for me?” for more information on how the vaccine protects you.
Since the virus is contagious through respiratory droplets, if anyone gets sick the infection can spread to your household as well and potentially others outside your home.20 We know that getting sick with COVID-19 with no vaccination while pregnant can lead to severe illness, hospitalization and death. About 86% of COVID-19 hospitalizations have been unvaccinated people between June-August 2021.27 Getting the vaccine significantly reduces the risk of severe infection, hospitalization and death. Protection against a COVID-19 infection is now more effective and accessible with the availability of free vaccines. Use this information to make an informed and confident decision for you and your family! If you have any concerns or further questions, please discuss with you provider.
Any person 18 and older is authorized by the FDA and recommended by the CDC to receive a Moderna or J&J booster following their primary vaccine; Pfizer allows for everyone 12 and older to receive theirs after their primary vaccine. The Pfizer or Moderna booster is preferred in most situations over the J&J.31, 22
The ACOG recommends that people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions including pregnant people receive ANY COVID-19 booster at least 5 months after completing their first vaccine series for Pfizer and Moderna; if you received the J&J first dose, the booster can be given at least 2 months after.22,34 It is recommended that you take the same vaccine type as your original dose, but you may get the one most readily available to you. Boosters can be taken with your flu, Tdap, or other vaccines. 34
No research has been done specifically on pregnant people and the booster, but since it is the same as the original COVID-19 vaccines, we do not expect it to increase risk to a pregnancy knowing the current research. Talk to your provider to see if it is appropriate for you to get this booster dose.
Boosters do NOT mean the vaccine is not working. The vaccines work very well against COVID-19 and the variants. However, we are seeing a waning protection against mild and moderate illness, so boosters will (as their name implies) boost this protection in the coming months.22 By no means, will you no longer be protected when you hit 5 months out from your first shots. Like all vaccines, some immunity strength is lost over time, but there are many players in your immune system that can still recognize and fight an infection if it happens. We will keep you updated on this as we learn more!

More Resources

Need to talk to someone for more information?

Call or schedule an appointment with your primary care or prenatal care provider to discuss your options.
1. MotherToBaby- 1-866-626-6847 or https://mothertobaby.org/ask-an-expert/ Experts are available to answer questions by phone or chat in English and Spanish about the COVID-19 vaccination. Here is also their fact sheet on the COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy and pregnancy: https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/covid-19-vaccines/
2. Georgia COVID-19 Hotline: 888-357-0169

Need to know where to get vaccinated?

Make an appointment with your primary care provider.
1. Find a site in Georgia: https://dph.georgia.gov/locations/covid-vaccination-site or call 1-888-457-0186
2. Find a site anywhere in the U.S. through the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Vaccine Finder from Boston Children’s Hospital: https://www.vaccines.gov
  - Text your zip code to 438829
  - OR Call 1-800-232-0233

This blog has been updated as of January 10th, 2022 to reflect the latest findings and guidance about COVID-19.

Reviewed By: Lauren Kozlowski, MSW, MPH, MotherToBaby Georgia Coordinator, Center for Maternal Substance Abuse and Child Development at Emory University School of Medicine

References

American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists, ACOG Statement on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 Vaccination While Pregnant

Frequently Asked Questions

What can the vaccines do for me?

What are the COVID-19 vaccines?

What about the initial vaccine trials not including pregnant people?

What are the side effects someone may have after getting vaccinated?

What could happen if I get infected with COVID-19?

I already had COVID-19. I don't need the vaccine, right?

Is getting sick with COVID-19 more of a health risk than getting the vaccine?

Will I need a booster shot?

More Resources

Postpartum Depression Symptoms

The Milk Menu: Breastmilk Stages