PAHO RECOMMENDS COVID-19 VACCINES FOR PREGNANT AND LACTATING WOMEN

#Jamaica, September 9, 2021 – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is recommending coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines for pregnant women after their first trimester and mothers who are breastfeeding.

PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne, said that COVID-19 vaccines are critical tools for safeguarding expectant and lactating mothers during the pandemic.

“COVID-19 vaccines, approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), are safe to administer during pregnancies. [Additionally] as the mother breastfeeds, she passes immunity to her baby, so COVID-19 vaccines can also help to protect newborns from the virus,” she noted.

Dr. Etienne was speaking during PAHO’s COVID-19 digital briefing on Wednesday (September 8).

The PAHO Director pointed out that pregnant women, who contract COVID-19, have a higher risk of developing serious symptoms and, more frequently, require ventilation and intensive care.

Additionally, she said they have a greater chance of experiencing premature delivery.

“So far, more than 270,000 pregnant women in the Americas have become sick with COVID, and more than 2,600 of them or one per cent of those infected have died from the virus. Most countries in our region have already reported more cases and deaths among pregnant women this year than all of 2020,” she noted, lamenting that less than half of Latin American and Caribbean nations have rolled out guidelines to inoculate this cohort.

Stating that vaccinations have proven to be a central intervention in protecting pregnant women, Dr. Etienne said that in Mexico, where they have been prioritised for inoculation “for some time”, none who has been vaccinated has succumbed to the virus during pregnancy.

“So, it’s extremely important that pregnant women have access to COVID vaccines,” Dr. Etienne stressed.

In addition to the vaccines, the PAHO Director said it is also imperative that countries maintain access to healthcare services that are critical to keeping pregnant women on track for safe births, including routine screenings.

She noted that the pandemic has significantly impacted prenatal care and associated service delivery, advising that 40 per cent of regional countries have reported disruptions in maternal and newborn care services, which have become more widespread in 2021.

She is also advising pregnant women to adhere to the public health measures, including the wearing of masks, maintaining physical distance, and limiting contact with people outside of their households.

“These are especially important to keep expectant mothers safe from COVID. We owe it to the women in Latin America and the Caribbean to use all the tools at our disposal to protect them and their babies during the pandemic,” Dr. Etienne emphasised.

By Douglas McIntosh, JIS News

Released: JIS