Eager for inoculation, pregnant women ask doctors to give them vaccines

Bengaluru: Gynaecologists in Bengaluru are being flooded with questions if pregnant women can take the Covid vaccines. This came after the central government’s decision to allow lactating mothers to take the vaccine.

Doctors say that as many Covid positive women are facing complications during pregnancy and childbirth, young mothers are keen to take the vaccine.

The Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) said that the benefits of vaccinating pregnant women appear to far outweigh the “theoretical and remote risks” of not vaccinating them.

At the beginning of May, the FOGSI had appealed to the government to include lactating mothers and pregnant women in the vaccination drive. Even though lactating women were permitted to take the vaccine from May 19, there is no information for pregnant women.

FOGSI said, “There is no increase in maternal side effects with vaccine administration in pregnancy as compared to non-pregnant women. Women who have delivered after receiving the vaccine during their pregnancy do not show any increased risk.”

Dr Shashikala Ksheerasagar, obstetrician and gynaecologist, Vikram hospital said that many pregnant women are now keen to take the vaccine as they are shaken by what they heard about the complications some mothers-to-be faced after being infected with Covid-19.

She said, “Pregnant women are one of the most vulnerable groups.” “If we don’t vaccinate pregnant women when they are most vulnerable during a pandemic, when are we going to do it? The idea is that we don’t want pregnant women to get infected.”

She also said that pregnant women working in healthcare facilities should be vaccinated at the earliest as they are most likely to contract the infection. She added that the danger arises only when pregnant women are given a ‘live virus’. She said, “Covid vaccines are inactivated or killed virus vaccines so it is safe to inoculate pregnant women.”

Dr Ksheerasagar revealed that some of her patients had taken the vaccine unintentionally after they had conceived. She said, “Some who had irregular periods didn’t know they were pregnant and took the vaccine. They have had no problems. The vaccine is safe.”

In the first wave of the pandemic, many pregnant women were either asymptomatic and had little or no complications, but the second wave has been harsh on them.

Dr Vidya Bhat, fertility specialist, medical director, Radhakrishna Multispeciality Hospital said, “We have seen infected pregnant women suffering abortions, preterm labour and even intrauterine deaths.”  She said, “We have seen a decrease in amniotic fluid or oligoamnios especially among Covid positive women who have completed the 26th week. Probably the severity of the second wave has created more awareness, but many pregnant women have no fear of the vaccine and are aggressively demanding it.”

Woman in 7th month of pregnancy took the first dose on May 8:

Princy (name changed) who is presently in the third trimester, is one of the many pregnant women in Bengaluru who have taken the vaccine.

Princy said, “My doctor suggested I better take the Covid vaccine since it is already being advised for pregnant women in Europe and in the US. Initially, I had my doubts, but I researched it. I got the first dose of Covishield on May 8.” She suffered from a slight fever and had a headache, but took no medicine for it. She was fine the very next day.

Princy is due to deliver by mid-July and she is eager to take the second dose of vaccine before that. She said, “My second dose is slotted in the second week of August, as the interval has been extended to three months.”

In February, a forensic expert’s wife who was pregnant had taken the Covid vaccine as he had requested the government to permit the same. As the doctor was working in a high viral load area, his wife was given the vaccine as a special case but at her own risk.