WHO: Both COVID-19 Vaccines OK If You're Pregnant

The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its interim guidance on the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine. While there is minimal data available, the WHO stated that it has found no reason to withhold the vaccine from people who are pregnant.

Updated WHO Guidance

Information about COVID-19 vaccine safety for people who are pregnant has been varied, but the new recommendations should address any confusion. The WHO’s updated guidance is now in line with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) position statement, which advised that both COVID-19 vaccines should be available to pregnant people who want to get vaccinated. Prior to the January 26 update, WHO suggested pregnant women should not receive the Moderna vaccine.

“It is reassuring that both vaccines do not contain a live virus,” Ronald Gibbs, MD, clinical professor, obstetrics and gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine at Stanford University, tells Verywell. “The bottom line is that pregnant women should be empowered to make their own informed decision, and as a class should not be excluded from receiving the vaccination.”

Pregnancy: A COVID-19 Risk Factor

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists pregnancy as a condition that increases a person's risk for severe COVID-19 illness if they are infected with the virus.

ACOG states that pregnant people should work with their physicians to make an informed decision that considers the pros and cons of vaccine administration, as well as consider individual health status and any risk factors a person may have. 

The CDC states that pregnant people who are in a class that is currently approved to receive the vaccine (such as a healthcare worker) should not be denied a vaccine if they choose to receive one.

Current Vaccination Safety Data

Currently, there is not much data on COVID-19 vaccines and people who are pregnant. Early-stage data from studies performed in a laboratory with pregnant rats did not raise any safety concerns.

The mRNA vaccines do not contain a live virus, nor do they enter the nucleus of the cell or alter human DNA. For this reason, experts suspect that the vaccines are unlikely to pose a risk to pregnant people or fetuses.

In its Practice Advisory from February 4, ACOG states that based on how the vaccines work and the safety and efficacy demonstrated during clinical trials, "it is expected that the safety and efficacy profile of the vaccine for pregnant individuals would be similar to that observed in non-pregnant individuals."

However, because pregnant or lactating people were not included in those trials, ACOG also states that "there are no safety data specific to mRNA vaccine use in pregnant or lactating individuals and the potential risks to a pregnant individual and the fetus are unknown.”

Making Informed Decisions

If you are currently pregnant and want to discuss COVID-19 vaccination with your provider, ACOG outlines talking points and factors to consider when making an informed decision:

• The level of activity of the virus in the community
• The potential efficacy of the vaccine
• The risk and potential severity of maternal disease (including the effects of disease on the fetus and newborn)
• The safety of the vaccine for the pregnant patient and the fetus

ACOG does recommend several considerations for pregnant people who plan to get a vaccine:

• Pregnant patients who decline vaccination should be supported in their decision. 
• Vaccination of pregnant individuals with a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine may occur in any setting authorized to administer these vaccines. 
• Expected side effects should be explained as part of counseling patients, including that they are a normal part of the body’s reaction to the vaccine and developing antibodies to protect against COVID-19 illness.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.