The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an urgent recommendation for pregnant women and women who have recently given birth to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The agency stated that women who are trying or planning to conceive and those who are breastfeeding should also get vaccinated; however, mere 31% of pregnant individuals have been vaccinated yet. This has resulted in thousands of pregnant women being in the hospital and over 160 dead. The agency made a strong recommendation for COVID-19 vaccination either before or during pregnancy stating that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the known or potential risks.

According to the agency’s health alert, the COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET) data in 2021 suggest that around 97% of pregnant people hospitalized, either for illness or for labor and delivery, with COVID-19, were not vaccinated… (CNN, September 29, 2021)