New Delhi: Having announced three days ago that pregnant women can be vaccinated against Covid-19, the Union Health Ministry issued guidelines for the same on Monday, stating that pregnancy does not increase the risk of coronavirus infection.
The ministry said, ‘Most pregnant women will be asymptomatic or have a mild disease, but their health may deteriorate rapidly and that might affect the foetus too. It is important that they take all precautions to protect themselves from acquiring COVID-19, including taking vaccination against Covid-19. It is therefore advised that a pregnant woman should take Covid-19 vaccines.’
As per the Ministry of Health, if a woman has been exposed to Covid-19 during her pregnancy, she should be vaccinated soon after delivery.
Asked whether Covid-19 vaccines have any side effects, the ministry stated that the Covid-19 vaccines available are safe, and vaccination provides protection against Covid-19 illness/disease. ‘Like any medicine, a vaccine may have side effects which are normally mild,’ it said.
‘After getting the vaccine injection, she can get a mild fever, pain at the injection site or feel unwell for 1-3 days,’ the Ministry stated.
Nevertheless, it noted that the vaccine’s long-term effects and safety for foetus and child had not yet been confirmed. Very rarely (one in 1-5 lakh persons), pregnant women may experience some of the symptoms within 20 days after getting the COVID-19 vaccination which may require immediate attention,’ the Health Ministry said.
Union Ministry of Health issues guidelines for vaccination of pregnant women; COVID-19 vaccines available are safe & vaccination protects pregnant women against COVID-19 illness/disease like other individuals. pic.twitter.com/k47ggCOKj4
— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2021
According to the Union Health Ministry, pregnant women should also register with the Co-WIN portal or register at the Covid-19 vaccination center.
The Ministry said the following persons are at high risk of infection: health care workers and frontline workers; communities with a high or increasing Covid-19 infection rate; frequently exposed to people outside the household; and difficulties in complying with social distancing when living in an overcrowded household.
Even if a pregnant woman becomes infected with this virus, the ministry said that most of them (>90 percent) recover without the need for hospitalization, though a few of them may experience rapid deterioration in health.
Symptomatic pregnant women seem to be at higher risk of illness and death. If there is any severe disease, like all other patients, pregnant women shall also need hospitalization. Pregnant women with the following medical conditions eg, high blood pressure, obesity, and those above 35 years of age are at a greater risk of severe illness due to Covid-19.
The ministry said that over 95 percent of newborns of Covid-19 positive mothers have been in good condition at birth. In some cases, Covid-19 infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of premature delivery, the baby might weigh less than 2.5kg and in rare circumstances, the baby may die before birth.
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