Urgent Action: Promote COVID-19 Vaccine for Pregnant People

Dear MCHB Grantee:

With COVID-19 infections surging across the country since this past summer, public health workers and health care providers have increased their efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccines, both to contain the spread of the virus and, if breakthrough infection occurs, to markedly reduce the risk of severe illness or death.

In August, the CDC updated their guidance to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, recently pregnant (including those who are lactating), trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.

This week, the CDC issued a specific Health Advisory recommending urgent action to increase COVID-19 vaccination among this population. Despite this CDC recommendation and evidence indicating that COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective during pregnancy, currently only 31% of pregnant people overall are fully vaccinated prior to or during pregnancy. That percentage drops to 15.6% for pregnant non-Hispanic Black women, revealing persistent health inequities.

Compared to non-pregnant people, pregnant and recently pregnant people infected with COVID-19 are at increased risk for severe illness (including hospitalization, intensive care admission, mechanical ventilation, and even death).  COVID-19 infection in pregnant people may also increase the risk of preterm birth.

CDC’s updated guidance on COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding includes:

• COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.
• Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. These data suggest that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy.
• There is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.
• Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people.
• Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19.

MCHB encourages grantees and stakeholders to work with your state and local partners to promote COVID-19 vaccines for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, recently pregnant (including those who are lactating), trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. You can help ensure that health care providers and MCH populations are aware of CDC’s updated guidance on the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, and that public health jurisdictions and health care providers take steps to implement CDC’s recommendations as outlined in the Health Advisory.  

In addition to the CDC resources above, we want to make you aware of an MCHB-funded resource, MotherToBaby.  The general public and healthcare providers can access this resource via chat, text, phone, and email to receive up-to-date, evidence-based information on the effects of COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Please reach out to your Project Officer if you have any questions regarding COVID-19 vaccination and pregnancy or if additional assistance would be helpful.  Thank you for your efforts every day to improve the health of America’s mothers, children, and families.

Sincerely,

 Michael D. Warren, MD, MPH, FAAP

Associate Administrator, Maternal and Child Health Bureau