Pregnancy, under any circumstances, can be simultaneously exciting and terrifying. That’s even more true during a pandemic. With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine availability expanded recently to include Americans as young as 12, many pregnant women and their loved ones may still be uncertain about whether the vaccine is safe for them and the unborn child. Initial clinical trials did not include pregnant women, so initially there were more questions than answers.

However, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently recommended that pregnant people get the vaccine, citing new studies of the safety and efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. That new research shows that the vaccines appear to be safe for pregnant women vaccinated in their third trimesters – either for the parent or the child.

The study showed that there were no discernable changes in the rates of pre-term births or miscarriages for vaccinated mothers-to-be. While pregnant women reported more frequent instances of pain at the injection site, they were less likely to report other common vaccine side effects like headaches, muscle pain, chills, or fevers. The study did not include the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was authorized for use in the U.S. after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

We recently shared the news that there is evidence babies born to vaccinated mothers may benefit by being born with antibodies to COVID-19, which could help protect them in the early days, weeks, and months of their lives when they are most vulnerable.

Of course, choosing to get vaccinated while pregnant is a personal decision – one that should be made after reviewing available information and discussing the potential benefits and considerations with medical professionals.

At The Surrogacy Law Center, we help protect the legal rights of intended parents and their children. Contact us to learn more!