Vaccine for Covid-19 and Pregnant Women

Dear Editor,

We would like to share ideas on “We have Vaccine for Covid-19! What to Recommend for Pregnant Women?”¹ Quintana¹ concluded that “The final decision whether or not to receive the vaccine will be made by the woman after receiving the appropriate information. This same principle applies with even greater emphasis to puerperal and lactating women.”¹ Indeed, the Covid-19 vaccine is considered risky for any subject. As a vaccine with an emergency-use authorization, the data on its safety and efficacy against COVID-19 is insufficient. According to a recent report on the joint International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS)/ European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) statement on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women, Ory et al.² concluded that “individual risk, availability of the vaccine, and the potential recipients' concerns regarding unknown risks of the new vaccines” should be important factors for considering and deciding to receive or not receive the vaccine. An important question is whether a pregnant woman has or not a higher risk of developing adverse effects than the general population. If a woman of childbearing age can bee vaccinated, there should be no increased risk for the mother. The remaining question to be researched is regarding the possibility that the immunity can cross the placenta and affect the fetus. Finally, while we wait for more data on the vaccine, there should be a careful reanalysis of the actual risk of pregnant subjects developing infections and a severe disease if infected. This is an interesting issue for further research in obstetrics.

Conflict of Interests

The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.

References

1. Quintana SM. We have vaccine for COVID-19! What to recommend for pregnant women? Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2021;43(2):81–83 10.1055/s-0041-1726090

2. Ory S, Veiga A, Horton M, Gianaroli L. Joint IFFS/ESHRE statement on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women and those considering pregnancy. Hum Reprod Open 2021;2021(2):hoab016

Author's Reply

¹Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

Silvana Maria Quintana, Avenida Bandeirantes 3.900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, SP, 14049-900, Brazil (e-mail: [e-mail]).

Publication History

Article published online:
27 July 2021