The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a report concerning rates of COVID-19 vaccinations among pregnant women in the U.S. The findings suggest that only a small number of expecting women have received their first dose of the vaccine, which underscores societal concerns over the safety of the vaccine on pregnant and breastfeeding women.
The report was released on the CDC’s website on June 18th. Using data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD), which was collected between December 14, 2020, to May 8, 2021, the researchers identified 135,968 pregnant women, Becker’s Hospital Review reports. However, of those women, only 22,197 (16.3%) had received the first dose of a vaccine. Even more, only 15,043 (11.1%) had been fully vaccinated.
The researchers also discovered that rates of vaccinations among pregnant women varied based on age and ethnicity.
•Women aged between 35-49 years old were most likely to be vaccinated, with over 22% of expecting moms in that age group having received one dose
•The lowest age group, however, was women aged between 18-24 years old; only 5.5% of expecting women in that age group received their first dose
•The rates of vaccination were higher among non-Hispanic White women (19.7%) as well as non-Hispanic Asian women (24.7%)
•However, they were the lowest among non-Hispanic Black women (6%)
The researchers added that rates of vaccination appeared to improve across all ethnic groups later in the time period, which they attribute to increased access and vaccine eligibility.
Currently, pregnant women in the U.S. are encouraged to receive any of the three coronavirus vaccines that have been approved for use, those being the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines.
The CDC specifically encourages pregnant women to get the vaccine because of the higher risk of complications related to coronavirus while expecting. They note this is especially important for pregnant women who are at an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19.
In the report, the CDC emphasizes a need for “improved outreach to and engagement with pregnant women” to improve vaccine rates, specifically amongst racial and ethnic minority groups.
They add that providing timely, factual information to clear up concerns about vaccine safety may also improve the rates.
The lack of information about the safety of the coronavirus vaccine on pregnant and breastfeeding women is largely due to the fact that they were excluded from the initial trials. However, as of February, COVID-19 vaccine trials on pregnant women have started. Trials have also begun on infants and young children. There is currently no information to suggest the vaccines are harmful in pregnancy, and the CDC as well as other government agencies continue to encourage expecting women to get vaccinated.
To learn more about the coronavirus vaccine and to make an informed decision for yourself, we encourage you to speak with your doctor.
Sources: CDC, Becker’s Hospital Review,