Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Backs Vaccine During Pregnancy As Data Shows No Extra Miscarriage Risk
AP: CDC Urges COVID Vaccines During Pregnancy As Delta Surges
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged all pregnant women Wednesday to get the COVID-19 vaccine as hospitals in hot spots around the U.S. see disturbing numbers of unvaccinated mothers-to-be seriously ill with the virus. Expectant women run a higher risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications from the coronavirus, including perhaps miscarriages and stillbirths. But their vaccination rates are low, with only about 23% having received at least one dose, according to CDC data. (Tanner and Stobbe, 8/11)
Reuters: CDC Recommends Pregnant Women Get COVID-19 Vaccine
The CDC said it has found no safety concerns for pregnant people in either the new analysis or earlier studies. It said miscarriage rates after vaccination were similar to the expected rate. Pregnant women can receive any of the three vaccines given emergency authorization -- Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. The agency had not previously recommended pregnant women get vaccinated but had said that they should discuss vaccination with their health care providers. (Erman, 8/11)
KHN: Getting A Covid Vaccine During Pregnancy Even More Urgent As ICU Beds Fill Up
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is doubling down on its recommendation that people who are pregnant get the covid-19 vaccine, in light of new data underscoring its safety and effectiveness throughout pregnancy. This recommendation comes at a time when doctors across the country are reporting an uptick in the number of unvaccinated pregnant people getting hospitalized with severe cases of covid. (Lopez, 8/12)
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CIDRAP: Studies Detail COVID Childbirth, Breastmilk Vaccine Antibodies
In line with previous research, two studies published today in JAMA Network Open suggested that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 are more likely to have negative outcomes including death, and that vaccine-produced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are present in breastmilk. Both implications help support the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's announcement today that all pregnant people, or those thinking of becoming pregnant, should get vaccinated. "The vaccines are safe and effective, and it has never been more urgent to increase vaccinations as we face the highly transmissible Delta variant [B1617.2] and see severe outcomes from COVID-19 among unvaccinated pregnant people," said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, in a CDC press release. (McLernon, 8/11)
BBC News: Covid Vaccine: Fertility And Miscarriage Claims Fact-Checked
Doctors are extremely cautious about what they recommend during pregnancy, so the original advice was to avoid the jab. But now, so much safety data has become available that this advice has changed and the vaccine is now actively encouraged (as getting Covid itself can put a pregnancy at risk). We have looked at some of the more persistent claims - and why they are wrong. (Schraer, 8/11)
USA Today: CDC: COVID Vaccines Don't Cause Miscarriages In Pregnancy, Data Shows
Armed with research showing COVID-19 vaccines haven't been found to increase the risk of miscarriage, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doubled down on recommendations Wednesday, urging all pregnant people to get vaccinated amid surging cases driven by the delta variant. The agency had encouraged pregnant people to consider vaccination but had stopped short of a full recommendation. The new guidance applies to those who are nursing or planning to get pregnant. A CDC analysis of safety data on 2,500 women showed no increased risks of miscarriage for those who received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine before 20 weeks of pregnancy. (Rodriguez, 8/11)
