PREGNANCY AND COVID-19
IS IT SAFE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PREGNANT TO GET A COVID-19 SHOT?
Yes.
The current COVID-19 shots don’t contain live bacteria or viruses. There are no data to indicate they are unsafe during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant women. A growing amount of data confirms that COVID-19 shots are safe during pregnancy. Scientists have compared the pregnancies of women who have received COVID-19 shots and women who have not. The reports show that these women have had similar pregnancy outcomes.
If you are pregnant and want to know more about the shots, talk with your obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) or other health care provider.
IS A PREGNANCY TEST REQUIRED BEFORE A COVID-19 SHOT IS GIVEN?
No.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend or require pregnancy testing before COVID-19 vaccination.
SHOULD BREASTFEEDING WOMEN GET THE COVID-19 SHOT?
Yes.
The ACOG recommends that breastfeeding women get a COVID-19 shot. There is no need to stop breastfeeding if you want to get a shot. When you get vaccinated, the antibodies made by your body may be passed through breastmilk and may help protect your child from the virus.
No.
People trying to get pregnant now, or who may want to get pregnant in the future, can receive a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they are able. There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility. You also do not need to delay getting pregnant after you get a vaccine.
Some COVID-19 vaccines will require two doses. If you find out you are pregnant after the first dose, you should still get the second dose.
CAN A CHILD OF A VACCINATED MOTHER BENEFIT FROM ANTIBODIES?
Yes.
COVID-19-vaccinated mothers who breastfeed can pass virus protection on to their babies. A study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a COVID-19 vaccination stimulates antibodies in breast milk for up to six weeks after vaccination. These antibodies may help a baby’s immune system prevent serious illness until an approved COVID-19 vaccine is available for general pediatric use.