COVID-19 Vaccine and Pregnancy – familydoctor.org

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and wondering whether the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for you and your baby, the good news is it is. According to scientific data pregnancy increases your risk of a severe COVID-19 infection and complications, including a poor pregnancy outcome, admission to an intensive care unit, or death. Because of this, the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh any known or potential risks. COVID-19 vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your pregnancy from these serious outcomes.

The protection the COVID-19 vaccine offers also reduces the severity of the illness and lessens how sick both mother and baby can become from COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccines  are proven safe and effective for your baby while breastfeeding. According to the CDC, vaccination during pregnancy builds antibodies that can help protect the baby.  Whether you get the COVID-19 vaccine while you are pregnant or while you are breastfeeding, it passes on protective antibodies to your baby.

The American Academy of Family Physicians joined with other medical professional associations in recommending COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant individuals.

According to their statement, “As the leading organizations representing experts in maternal care … we strongly urge all pregnant individuals— along with recently pregnant, planning to become pregnant, lactating, and other eligible individuals—to be vaccinated against COVID-19.”