PREGNANT WOMEN IN the UK should be offered a Covid-19 jab at the same time as the rest of the population based on their age and clinical risk group, according to new official advice.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said there were “no specific safety concerns” identified with “any brand of Covid-19 vaccines” in relation to pregnancy.
Covid-19 jabs had previously only been offered to pregnant women when their risk of exposure to the virus is high, such as health workers, or if a woman has underlying conditions placing her at higher risk of Covid-19 complications.
In Ireland, (although advice had initially placed women in the final group to be vaccinated, along with children) women who are between 14-33 weeks pregnant can get the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine if they consult with their GP, obstetrician or care giver.
Health experts in Ireland have said this week that there have been six cases of stillbirths and one case of a second-trimester miscarriage caused by Covid placentitis since the start of the year. These may be linked to the B117 variant, they added.
The JCVI said today that data from the US showed around 90,000 pregnant women had received jabs, mainly the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, “without any safety concerns being raised”.
As a result, the JCVI said it advises that it is “preferable” for pregnant women in the UK to be offered these two vaccines where available.
It added: “There is no evidence to suggest that other vaccines are unsafe for pregnant women, but more research is needed.”
It is understood that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are considered preferable because they are the jabs for which safety information relating to pregnant women is available, whereas there is not as much relevant data on other jabs such as the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for JCVI, said: “We encourage pregnant women to discuss the risks and benefits with their clinician – those at increased risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19 are encouraged to promptly take up the offer of vaccination when offered.
“There have been no specific safety concerns from any brand of Covid-19 vaccines in relation to pregnancy.
There are more real-world safety data from the US in relation to the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in women who are pregnant – therefore, we advise a preference for these to be offered to pregnant women.
Head of immunisation at Public Health England Dr Mary Ramsay said: “The available data on the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines provide confidence that they can be offered safely to pregnant women.
“The Covid-19 vaccines continue to save thousands of lives and it is important that we encourage as many people as possible to take up the offer when it is their turn.”
The JCVI said it still advises pregnant women to discuss the risks and benefits of being vaccinated with their clinician.
It added that, although uncommon, severe illness due to Covid-19 is more likely in later pregnancy.
Pregnant women with symptomatic Covid-19 infection are two to three times more likely to give birth prematurely, the JCVI said.
It explained that the “greatest risk factor” for severe Covid-19 outcomes is age, “which is why pregnant women should be invited for vaccination along with their age or clinical risk group”.
“Women who are planning pregnancy, are in the immediate postpartum, or are breastfeeding can be vaccinated with any vaccine, depending on their age and clinical risk group,” the JCVI said.
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