Dear Mom,
it’s finally official, the Covid vaccination is recommended for pregnant women! Me too, I was vaccinated a few months ago when I was five months pregnant. Nevertheless, I still remember clearly the partly astonished, bewildered and – let’s call them- strong reactions I was bombarded with afterwards. All I wanted was to encourage other moms-to-be because specially in the German speaking countries, women were hesitating to get vaccinated. In today’s blog, I would like to address the most frequently asked questions to clear up the last prejudices on getting vaccinated against Covid19. After all we all need to be informed as best as possible in order to make the best decision for ourselves, those around us and the little babies we are carrying in us. 😉
Corona in pregnancy
It is widely known that pregnant women are particularly susceptible to infection during the pandemic. And recent studies have proved this: moms-to-be are at significantly higher risk for severe illness caused by the virus. As a result, more and more pregnant women are being treated in hospitals and have to be professionally ventilated. In rare cases, the disease also leads to death and thus to the loss of two lives.
While a severe course of the disease is very unlikely for other women of the same age, pregnant women often struggle with serious consequences of the covid infection. In addition, this risk is increasing further by various factors such as a high BMI, chronic high blood pressure, diabetes or advanced age.
Which Covid vaccine is best for pregnant women?
In Germany, currently, it’s highly recommended to vaccinate pregnant women with the Biontec/Pfizer vaccine. If you are unsure, there is always the possibility to ask your doctor for an individual assessment. But please obtain a second opinion maybe from the friend’s OB/Gyn because opinions may differ seriously. Especially when the information situation is very obscure, I always trust my MOVE IT MAMA team of fitness experts, different OB/Gyns and midwives. Once you have listened to the different advice you can still decide yourself what’s best for you and your baby!
When to get the Covid19 vaccine during pregnancy?
First of all, there is no perfect timing for vaccination. However, it is advised to wait until the beginning of the second trimester, by that time your little one’s organ formation is already largely complete. In addition, a study has shown that the earlier you get vaccinated in the second trimester, the more antibodies are formed. So best is to get vaccinated within the 2nd trimester. 😉
Does it protect my unborn baby if I get the vaccine?
The antibodies formed reach your baby in a variety of ways although I may have to say that the vaccine is not directly transferred to the child. Studies have shown that unborn babies absorb their mothers’ antibodies via the placenta. Thus, they are protected from the virus even before birth! Among experts, this is also called nest protection.
In addition, antibodies have been detected in the breast milk of vaccinated mothers. During breastfeeding, your baby absorbs these and thus receives extra protection. It is not yet possible to say exactly how high this protection is. But one thing is clear: Any protection is better than no protection!
What are possible side effects of the Corona vaccine for pregnant women?
Many studies came to the same conclusion: pregnant women cope well with this vaccination. For example, an American study showed that pregnant women had significantly fewer reactions to the vaccine than their non-pregnant peers. A total of over 17,000 women took part in this study, in which the most common side effects, with pain at the injection site and fatigue, were by no means dangerous.
Surely there are still possible side effects, however, one thing is certain: since the start of the vaccination campaign, not a single pregnant woman with full vaccination coverage has had to be hospitalized.
Me personal, didn´t experience lots of side effects except one day of a bit exhaustion and tiredness.
Does the Corona vaccination after birth protect my baby?
You were unsure about getting vaccinated during your pregnancy due to lack of information and therefore hesitated? No problem! Even after your baby is born, you are not the only one who will be protected by your vaccination. As mentioned earlier, your baby can also absorb some of your antibodies through breast milk. Once you have the vaccination protection, the risk for your baby to get infected with the Corona virus from the direct circle is significantly reduced. In addition, you can of course take much better care of your little treasure when you are healthy.
Therefore: The vaccination is also very useful after birth to protect you and your baby!
I really hope that the information and my personal approach on it give you more confidence and a better overview. I feel very comfortable with my decision today and wouldn’t decide differently looking back now! Please look forward to our next’s week topic on postnatal treats with pelvic floor pain. 😊
Until then:
Keep it Moving and stay healthy,
Yours Birte
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