The COVID-19 Vaccine:
Guidelines and Resources for Pregnant & Lactating Patients
PNQIN-MPQC and our partners are committed to providing accurate, up-to-date guidance and resources on counseling for and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine to pregnant and lactating patients in Massachusetts. Please continue reading for more information.
April 24th, 2021: CDC Recommends COVID-19 Vaccine for Pregnant and Breastfeeding People
CBS News, National Public Radio, and several other major news sources report that the CDC now advises pregnant people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. In a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the CDC evaluated data from over 35,000 pregnant people who received the mRNA vaccines, and found no obvious safety concerns.
The CDC's vaccine considerations for pregnant and breastfeeding people can be found HERE.
COVID-19 Shared Decision-Making (Baystate Health & UMass Medical School - Baystate)
This decision aid was created for use by pregnant people (and people planning to become pregnant) who are considering whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as their healthcare providers, friends, and family. The working group that developed this resource consists of experts in the fields of OB/GYN, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shared Decision-Making and risk communication, Emergency Medicine, and current COVID-19 research.
Please direct any questions to Dr. Elizabeth Schoenfeld (Elizabeth.Schoenfeld@bhs.org).
"For most people, getting the COVID vaccine as soon as possible is the safest choice. However, trials testing the vaccine in pregnant and breastfeeding women have not been completed. The information [in this decision aid] will help you make an informed choice about whether to get the COVID vaccine while you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant."
Health care workers answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccines
THE CONVERSATION: Between Us, About Us is a new campaign to provide Black communities with credible information about the COVID-19 vaccines co-developed by KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) and the Black Coalition Against COVID (BCAC).
Black doctors, nurses and researchers dispel misinformation and provide accessible facts in 50 FAQ videos that deliver the information Black people are asking for about the COVID-19 vaccines. More videos and voices will be added to this one-of-its-kind living video library as new questions arise and information becomes available.
"This work truly exemplifies the power partnerships have to uplift the voices of Black health care workers and ensure that those most impacted by this pandemic have the resources they need to respond to it."
- Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS
Chair, COVID–19 Health Equity Task Force and Associate Dean, Yale University.
“This is a comprehensive effort on behalf of Black health care workers across the country, to ensure every Black person in the United States has the credible information they need to make this critical choice.
It is time for us to have a conversation, between us and about us.”
- Rhea Boyd, MD, MPH, a pediatrician and public health advocate who co-developed the project
COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy (ACOG)
Follow this link to read about advocacy and outreach, official comments, letters, and additional resources about the COVID-19 vaccine by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
Click here to read ACOG's Clinical Guidance Practice Advisory on vaccinating pregnant and lactating patients against COVID-19 (published December 13th, 2020).
"ACOG recommends that COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant individuals who meet criteria for vaccination based on ACIP-recommended priority groups... COVID-19 vaccines should be offered to lactating individuals similar to non-lactating individuals when they meet criteria for receipt of the vaccine based on prioritization groups outlined by the ACIP."
COVID-19 Publications and Clinical Guidance (SMFM)
The Board of Directors, Publications Committee, and volunteer leaders for the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) have created several resources to guide MFM care and practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to view the full resource list.
Resource Highlights:
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SMFM Response to FDA Decision to Offer COVID-19 Vaccine to Pregnant and Lactating People (published December 11th, 2020)
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SMFM Provider Considerations for COVID-19 Vaccine Counseling with Pregnant and Lactating Patients (published December 15th, 2020)
"SMFM strongly recommends that pregnant and lactating people have access to the COVID-19 vaccines and that they engage in a discussion about potential benefits and unknown risks with their healthcare providers regarding receipt of the vaccine."
COVID-19 in Pregnancy Infographic
Check out the infographic (right) developed by the Massachusetts Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention (Mass. Department of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition) using data from their COVID-19 in pregnancy surveillance project. This infographic was also featured in the Mass Public Health Blog for National Public Health Week (April 5th-9th 2021).
Strategies to Provide Equitable Care during COVID-19
The Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) created a one-page infographic on health equity, the impact of systemic racism on the COVID-19, and strategies to ensure equitable care during this devastating epidemic.
View or download the infographic here.
COVID-19 Accessible Resources
The Georgia Tech Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation created this web resource of accessible COVID-19 resources in Braille, American Sign Language, and easy-to-read (simplified text) formats, in addition to videos and documents compatible with screen-readers and AT that reads text.
