Coronavirus is one such disease that has left all of humanity perplexed and shrouded in doubt, even after the vaccine has come in. An important question that pops up regarding the vaccine is — can pregnant women get the COVID vaccine?
Well, the answer is yes, but with a certain degree of caution. Read on to find out more.
The vaccine is especially relevant for pregnant women as their possibly weakened systems put them at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus. While taking simple steps like consuming the right kind of nutrition, prenatal vitamins, and adequate exercise may guard you against some of the symptoms, the only way to avoid contracting the coronavirus is to take the pregnant women COVID vaccine.
However, it might be a frightening thought for a lot of people as pregnant women were not included in the clinical trials when the vaccine was being developed. This leaves virtually very little data for the medical professionals to work with. This is the reason as to why it is completely in your hands as to whether or not you want to get the COVID vaccine for pregnant women.
That is not to say that the risks outweigh the benefits, since a lot of people including pregnant mothers have felt that getting the COVID vaccine for pregnant women was still better than risk being exposed to the actual virus itself. Since the pregnant women COVID vaccine can still have a lot of impact on the day to day lives of such women, we have researched some of the risks and effects involved in taking the COVID vaccine during pregnancy.
Let us understand more about the pregnant women COVID vaccine and how taking it could impact your life.
Risks Of Pregnant Women Covid Vaccine
Pregnant people experience a significant loss of nutrition as well as the functioning of the immune system during their term, which makes them incredibly prone to developing the complications of the coronavirus. However, this also puts them at a similar risk of experiencing some side effects from the pregnant women COVID vaccine as well.
A lot of women have already experienced issues such as excess dryness in the vaginal region, as well as issues with menstruation. That being said, mRNA pregnant women COVID vaccine is actually said to be a comparatively safer alternative for a lot of women since it significantly improves the functioning of the immune system and are very quickly broken down in the body.
The COVID vaccine for pregnant women is also safe for the foetus as there is very little chance of it reaching all the way into the placenta. This will not interfere with the nutrition of the baby as well as keep the blood flow of the mother intact, making it one of the safest possible courses for taking the COVID vaccine during pregnancy.
Symptoms Of Pregnant Women Covid Vaccine
That being said, it is not that taking the COVID vaccine while pregnant will not come without its side effects. Some of the women who have taken the vaccine have reported experiencing symptoms such as mild fever and even fatigue in some cases. You need not worry as these side effects are experienced by virtually anyone who takes the vaccine.
These side effects are more of a general indicator that lets you know that your immune system is responding well to the introduction of the vaccine. Those who took the COVID vaccine while pregnant might also experience a mild fever as well. A good way to deal with this would be to take acetaminophen to counter the symptoms.
Additional symptoms of the COVID vaccine in pregnancy also include a little rise in body temperature, a feeling of soreness in the arms, or even a mild headache. It is important that you consume a lot of fluids in this stage and take otc medications to relieve the pain. This concludes that taking the COVID vaccine while pregnant will not cause any complications such as miscarriage or be harmful to the newborn.
It is ultimately the decision of the mother to take the COVID vaccine while pregnant, as there are a lot of factors to take into consideration such as possible underlying conditions such as the presence of diabetes, obesity, or even lung disease. At the same time, not taking the COVID vaccine during pregnancy could put not only them but the community as well at an increased risk of developing the coronavirus.
One of the best ways to decide on this would be to measure out your pros and cons of taking the vaccine and then acting on it.
FAQs on Covid Vaccine For Pregnant Women
When should the COVID vaccine in pregnancy be avoided?
There are certain scenarios wherein if people have allergic or anaphylactic reactions to a previous dose of the vaccine, then they should completely avoid taking the vaccine in such cases. In case you are someone who has been recently diagnosed with COVID 19, you should wait for a period of at least twelve weeks from the time of exposure or about eight weeks from the onset of CoVID before taking the COVID vaccine in pregnancy. This is excluding the scenario wherein the pregnant mother has already been treated with the antiCOVID monoclonal antibodies or the convalescent plasmas in the past few days.
How important is the Covid vaccine for pregnant women and young mothers?
Pregnant women who have been exposed to symptomatic COVID-19 stand not only at a higher risk for their own health but are also the determining factors for the outcome of the health of the newborn. The benefits of getting the COVID vaccine in pregnancy certainly outweigh the risks, which is why a lot of medical professionals advise us to take it.
Do the benefits of taking the COVID shot during pregnancy benefit the baby?
Apart from reducing the risk of getting the coronavirus, these vaccines also pose the additional benefits of passing the COVID antibodies from the vaccinated mother to the unborn child. This is primarily due to the transfer of nutrition to the foetus via the blood, as well as the feeding of breast milk postpartum.
Conclusion
While there is limited safety data available about getting the pregnant women COVID vaccine, more and more women are opting to take the vaccine during their pregnancy and even pre-conception to reduce their health risks, which provides a lot of information that can be processed to better develop the vaccine. In case you are someone who is in their pregnancy, be sure to consult with your obstetrician and other medical health professionals to outweigh the pros and cons of getting the COVID vaccine for pregnant women so you can make a well-informed decision about it.
