New data from the University of Oxford shows a rise in hospital admissions for unvaccinated pregnant women, leading experts to encourage those who are expecting to have the Covid jab.
We take a look at the latest situation.
What are the concerns?
Since the start of the pandemic, the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) has been gathering information on all pregnant women who’ve been admitted to hospital in the UK with symptoms of confirmed Covid-19.
The latest UKOSS data shows there’s been a worrying rise in unvaccinated pregnant women being admitted to hospital with severe Covid-19, amounting to 200 in the past week.
The statistics, published by the University of Oxford on the MedRXiv site, reveal that out of these 3,371 women admitted to hospital with symptomatic Covid:
- More than 99 per cent are unvaccinated. In comparison, 60 per cent of the general population admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are unvaccinated.
- Just four pregnant women admitted to hospital (0.5 per cent) have had the first vaccine dose since 1 February 2021 and none have been double-jabbed.
- The Delta variant poses a significantly greater risk than all previous strains.
The research also shows that Covid-19 vaccines offer effective protection from these risks – 55,000 pregnant women in the UK have had one or both doses of the vaccine, showing that it’s the most effective way of protecting women and their babies against the effects of Covid-19.
As a result, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, the chief midwifery officer for England, has written to GPs and fellow midwives across the country to stress how important it is for pregnant women or those considering pregnancy to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
She says: ‘Vaccines save lives, and this is another stark reminder that the Covid-19 jab can keep you, your baby and your loved ones safe and out of hospital.’
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Why should pregnant women have the Covid-19 vaccine?
Up until now, simply being pregnant wasn’t seen as a reason to be given the vaccine.
In line with the rest of the population, pregnant women were advised to have the vaccine based on their age and clinical risk group. However, this latest rise in hospital admissions among pregnant women, caused by the Delta variant, has altered this strategy.
Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, says: ‘It’s so important for pregnant women to get their jab, particularly with the virus being so prevalent and the Delta variant proving itself to be so much more transmissible.’
In fact, the UKOSS data suggests that pregnant women with Covid-19 are getting it more severely now than with the first wave – 45 per cent of pregnant women admitted to hospital with the Delta variant experience moderate or severe disease compared to 36 per cent with the Alpha variant and 24 per cent with the first wave.
- Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to becoming severely ill from Covid-19, posing significant risks to both mother and baby.
- One in ten pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 symptoms require intensive care.
- One in five gives birth prematurely.
Women who are unsure about having the jab are being reassured that any potential side effects – such as a localised swelling at the injection site – are far outweighed by the clinically recognised benefits of being jabbed. For example, as well as protecting the mother, studies have shown that women who have received the vaccine pass on antibodies to their babies.
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What do the experts say?
Experts are united in their view that pregnant women should be vaccinated as soon as possible.
Marian Knight, professor of maternal and child population health at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, and chief investigator of the study, says: ‘Around 200 pregnant women were admitted to hospital with Covid-19 last week. I cannot emphasise more strongly how important it is for pregnant women to get vaccinated in order to protect both them and their baby.’
Nicola Vousden, registrar in public health and the first author of the study, says: ‘This study shows that very few pregnant women are admitted to hospital with Covid-19 after they have received a vaccine.’
Dr Edward Morris, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, says: ‘Every day our members are seeing very sick pregnant women with Covid-19 in hospital and the majority are unvaccinated.
‘We want to reassure pregnant women that Covid-19 vaccines are the safest and best way to protect you and your baby from severe illness and premature birth.’
Gill Walton says: ‘Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect you and your baby against Covid-19. It really is that simple.’
What should you do if you are pregnant and not yet vaccinated?
Adhere to social distancing measures
Professor Knight says: ‘Until they are vaccinated, pregnant women must continue to be extremely attentive to social distancing measures including mask wearing, 2m distancing and meeting outdoors where possible.’
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Book in for the jab
Whether you’re already pregnant or considering pregnancy, get your first jab – and book your second one as soon as you’re able to. You can have your second dose eight weeks after your first.
Gill Walton says: ‘Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect you and your baby against Covid-19. It really is that simple. Hundreds of thousands of pregnant women worldwide have been vaccinated, safely and effectively protecting themselves against Covid and dramatically reducing their risk of serious illness or harm to their baby.’
Get advice
‘If you have questions, talk to your midwife, talk to your obstetrician, talk to your GP,’ says Gill Walton. ‘Get the answers you need and get the jab.’
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the government on vaccinations, says it’s preferable for pregnant women in the UK to be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines, where available.
This is because the data from these vaccines hasn’t raised any safety concerns.
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Pregnancy clinical trial launched
It’s also been announced today that UK researchers from St George’s, University of London have launched a clinical trial called Preg-CoV that will explore the optimal vaccination schedule for pregnant women and help allay any concerns about getting the jab.
The trial experts hope to recruit 600 pregnant women aged between 18 and 44 from 13 sites across England.
Randomised groups of pregnant women will receive either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines at different points of their pregnancy, with their second doses also at different points.
Researchers aim to fill in any gaps in knowledge about the vaccine including potential side effects and also the benefits of the jab for babies – the team will track outcomes for the babies up to 12 months after birth.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/08/pregnant-women-should-get-covid-19-vaccine-urges-englands-chief-midwife/