From the Guidelines
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all pregnant individuals, especially those with high-risk conditions, as outlined in their guidelines 1.
Key Recommendations
- ACOG advises that pregnant patients receive any of the FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson/Janssen) at any point during pregnancy, without preference for a specific vaccine type.
- The primary vaccination series typically involves two doses for mRNA vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna) given 3-4 weeks apart, or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson.
- ACOG also recommends that pregnant individuals receive booster doses when eligible.
- Vaccination can be administered simultaneously with other vaccines, including the influenza and Tdap vaccines routinely given during pregnancy.
High-Risk Conditions
The following conditions are considered high-risk and warrant preferential administration of the COVID-19 vaccine:
- Women aged 35 years or older
- Multiple gestation
- Cancer
- Chronic hypertension
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Autoimmune diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, graves’ disease, psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, Addison’s disease)
- Obesity (body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher)
- Sickle cell disease
- Smoking (current or history)
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
Contraindications
Contraindications to COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women include:
- Severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) after a previous dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine or any of its components
- Immediate allergic reaction of any severity to a previous dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine or any of its components (including PEG)
- Immediate allergic reaction of any severity to polysorbate (because of potential cross-reactive hypersensitivity with the vaccine ingredient PEG) As supported by recent studies 1, the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women outweigh the risks, and vaccination is recommended to prevent severe COVID-19 illness and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
From the Research
COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines for Pregnant Patients
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) provides guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant patients. However, the provided studies do not directly address ACOG's guidelines on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant patients.
Available Information on COVID-19 Vaccines
- The studies discuss the efficacy and safety of various COVID-19 vaccines, including mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna 2, 3, 4, 5.
- These vaccines have been shown to be effective in preventing symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and have tolerable safety profiles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The studies also discuss the emergence of new variants and subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 and the need for continued research and development of new vaccines and vaccination strategies 2, 3, 4, 6.
Limitations of Available Information
- The provided studies do not specifically address ACOG's guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant patients.
- Therefore, it is not possible to provide a direct answer to the question based on the available information.