The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an urgent health advisory with the goal of encouraging more pregnant people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“The CDC health advisory strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccination either before or during pregnancy because the benefits of vaccination for both pregnant persons and their fetus or infant outweigh known or potential risks,” the CDC said in a statement on Wednesday, Sept. 29.
This is not the first time the public health agency has recommended pregnant people get vaccinated. The CDC released data citing the vaccine’s safety among pregnant people in August.
In Wednesday’s update, the CDC said only 31 percent of pregnant people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
The CDC added that more than 125,000 pregnant people were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 through Monday, Sept. 27. This included 22,000 hospitalizations and 161 deaths.
Twenty-two of the deaths were reported in August, the CDC said.
“Pregnant people with COVID-19 are at increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes that could include preterm birth, stillbirth, and admission into the ICU of a newborn also infected with COVID-19,” the CDC added.
Read the full advisory here.
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