The CDC Is Now Pressuring Pregnant Women To Get Shot

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women and that they strongly recommend they get the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called for“urgent action” Wednesday for “people who are pregnant, recently pregnant or are trying to become pregnant now, or who might become pregnant in the future” as 125,000 COVID-19 cases reported among pregnant women have resulted in 22,000 hospitaizations and 161 deaths.

The Wednesday announcement cites current data that shows vaccines do not increase the risk of miscarriage or birth defects nor does it have any negative impact on fertility.

CDC data shows that roughly 31% of pregnant women who reported testing positive for COVID-19 received a vaccination, and around 97% of pregnant women hospitalized “either for illness or for labor and delivery” were unvaccinated.

“I strongly encourage those who are pregnant or considering pregnancy to talk with their health care provider about the protective benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine to keep their babies and themselves safe,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

The recent announcement highlights the CDC’s efforts to encourage vulnerable groups to receive the vaccine. In an August press release the CDC announced that “the increased risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications related to COVID-19 infection among pregnant people make vaccination for this population more urgent than ever.”

According to the CDC, women who are pregnant or recently pregnant are more likely to get extremely sick from COVID-19 as compared with non-pregnant women. Pregnant women infected with COVID-19 have an increased risk of admission into intensive care which carries a 70% increased risk of death.