Covid-19 Vaccine For Pregnant and Nursing Mothers

 

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COVID-19 vaccination has started. However, the provision of COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant and nursing mothers has not been a priority. Why is this and what exactly is the effect of the COVID-19 vaccine on women who are pregnant or breastfeeding?

In the Technical Guidelines for Vaccination Implementation, pregnant women and nursing mothers are included in the list of groups of people not given the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is more because clinical trials or research on the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women and nursing mothers are still very limited, not because this vaccine is dangerous for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
COVID-19 Vaccine Safety for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers

Pregnant women suffering from COVID-19 are more at risk of giving birth prematurely. Research so far also mentions that pregnant women infected with Corona virus are more at risk of severe symptoms of COVID-19 and need to undergo intensive treatment in the ICU.

However, pregnant women and nursing mothers have not been prioritized to get the COVID-19 vaccine. As explained earlier, this is not because the COVID-19 vaccine is dangerous for the condition, but because there is not enough data on its benefits and side effects in pregnant women and nursing mothers.

However, various health institutions, such as the FDA and WHO, have asked vaccine manufacturers to conduct research or clinical trials to assess the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant and nursing mothers.
COVID-19 Vaccine for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers in Indonesia

Currently, the new type of COVID-19 vaccine available in Indonesia is the Chinese-produced Sinovac vaccine. This vaccine is made from an inactivated virus, so it cannot cause COVID-19 disease.

Vaccines containing viruses that have been turned off have actually been used for more than 50 years in pregnant women and nursing mothers, without causing harmful side effects. Therefore, in general, vaccines of inactivated type of virus can actually be said to be safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers.

However, there is no adequate data on the effectiveness and safety of inactivated virus vaccines specific to COVID-19 in pregnant and nursing mothers. Therefore, the government decided not to give it to both groups.

Meanwhile, for the mRNA type of COVID-19 vaccine, there have been several studies that say that this type of vaccine is most likely safe to give to pregnant women and nursing mothers.

The mRNA vaccine does not contain viruses, but rather genetic components that have been specifically designed to resemble the genetic material of a virus, which in this case is the SARS-CoV-2 virus. After successfully producing immune reactions or antibodies to corona virus, the genetic component of mRNA will be destroyed.

The mRNA vaccine is also known to be safer for fetuses because it does not penetrate the placenta. However, antibodies formed in the mother's body can penetrate the placenta, so that the fetus also gets immunity to corona virus until it is born.

The mRNA vaccine is known to have an efficacy of 95%. However, data related to the safety and side effects of mRNA vaccines and their long-term impact on pregnant women and nursing mothers and their babies are still not known for certain.

The mRNA vaccine is not yet available in Indonesia. However, the government had planned to buy the vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna companies.

If you plan to get pregnant and have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, you can consult your obstetrician before you get vaccinated. The doctor will check your condition and determine if you can get the vaccine or not.

If you are breastfeeding but need the COVID-19 vaccine because you have certain diseases that put you at high risk for COVID-19 and have severe symptoms, consult your doctor to determine what to do.

Also keep in mind that administering the COVID-19 vaccine does not fully protect you from coronavirus. You still need to undergo health protocols during this pandemic, so that your risk of getting COVID-19 can be reduced to a minimum.