ACOG Reaffirms Strong Recommendation for COVID-19 Vaccination during Pregnancy

Washington, DC-Today, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) released updated guidance on COVID-19 vaccination, continuing to recommend the routine administration of updated COVID-19 vaccines to people who are pregnant, recently pregnant, considering pregnancy, or lactating. For high-risk populations, such as pregnant women, COVID-19 vaccinations should be recommended as standard preventive care.

"Despite changes in federal vaccine recommendations, ACOG's position remains clear, evidence-based, and aligned with the broader public health and medical community," said ACOG President Steven J. Fleischman, MD, MBA, FACOG. "Robust data continue to demonstrate that pregnant and recently pregnant people are at increased risk for adverse outcomes from COVID-19 infections. All currently available COVID-19 vaccines have been adapted to respond to new coronavirus strains; remain effective at reducing severe cases of COVID-19 that may result in emergency room and urgent care visits, hospitalizations, and critical illness in adults 18 years or older; and provide protection that lasts throughout that season."

Earlier this week, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled to block the implementation of HHS's recent changes to vaccine recommendations-including rescinding the COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for pregnant women-recognizing that HHS's recommendations are unsupported by evidence.

"Changes in federal messaging don't change the underlying science behind COVID-19 vaccines," said Mark Turrentine, MD, FACOG, lead author of the practice advisory. "Pregnant people face a higher risk of severe COVID-19, and millions of vaccinations in pregnancy have shown a strong safety record. Based on that evidence, ACOG continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination as routine preventive care."

COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy reduces the rate of symptomatic and severe COVID-19 illness in the first six months of an infant's life. Infants aged less than 6 months depend on maternal antibodies that pass through the placenta for protection, as they are at increased risk for serious illness but are not yet eligible for vaccination. Accumulated safety data from millions of administered doses show no increased risk of adverse maternal, fetal, or neonatal outcomes associated with COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy.

"One of the most important things you can do in pregnancy to keep infants safe from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated, preventing serious illness in newborns that could land them in the hospital before they can get vaccinated themselves," said Christopher M. Zahn, MD, FACOG, ACOG chief of clinical practice. "Vaccination may occur in any trimester, and our emphasis as clinicians should be for pregnant patients to receive vaccines at the earliest opportunity to maximize maternal, fetal, and infant health."

COVID-19 vaccines may also be coadministered with other vaccines routinely recommended during pregnancy, such as flu, RSV, and Tdap.

Updates to Practice Advisory: "COVID-19 Vaccination Considerations for Obstetric-Gynecologic Care" are available now. For patient-focused information and resources on vaccinations in pregnancy, visit Every Stage Health.