5 Things You Should Know About Pregnancy and the COVID Vaccines

If you are pregnant right now or trying to become pregnant, you might be asking yourself, “Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine?” or “Should I get a booster?” Pregnant women are often excluded from drug and clinical trials because the potential risk is often too high, and this was this case with the COVID vaccine trials. According to an article published last year in the New York Times, “Scientists have accumulated a small but steadily growing body of evidence that the vaccines are safe and effective during pregnancy.” Boosters  At Doulas of Baltimore, we encourage you to make decisions regarding your pregnancy and birth that make you feel comfortable and are grounded in the best information available. Here are 5 things you should know about pregnancy and the COVID vaccines (as of January 2022). 

Pregnant women have an increased risk of severe disease after a COVID-19 infection. 

In a study conducted in 2020, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) researchers analyzed data on 1.3 million women ages 15-44 who were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. They found that, “pregnant women were at increased risk for severe COVID-19–associated illness.” Pregnant women were more likely to be admitted to the ICU and receive invasive ventilation. Although they are not sure why this is, they speculate it could be because your body is working harder when you are pregnant– including “increased heart rate and oxygen consumption, decreased lung capacity, a shift away from cell-mediated immunity.” Another study found that pregnant women who contracted COVID were at an increased risk for preterm birth. 

A COVID vaccine booster is safe for pregnant people.

If you received your first two shots of the vaccine before you were pregnant, you may now be wondering if you should be get a booster shot. Doctors are now recommending that people who are pregnant get the booster or third shot of a vaccine if they are eligible. Because pregnant people have an increased risk of severe disease if they get COVID, it is important to keep yourself as protected as possible. Dr. Brian Brimmage of the University of North Carolina health system says that,“Obviously, a pregnant woman getting seriously ill with COVID is dangerous for her and her baby.”

A recent study shows the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines produce an immune response in pregnant and lactating women. 

Although pregnant women had this higher risk of severe disease, they were not included in any of the clinical trials for vaccines conducted last year. However, when the vaccine rollout started, some of the healthcare workers who received the vaccine were unknowingly pregnant at the time. Researchers could then track and monitor those women, and additional studies began specifically enrolling pregnant women. 

The CDC now writes that you can receive the COVID-19 vaccine if you are pregnant. In a study of 103 women, researchers found that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines gave women an immune response (meaning the vaccine did what it was supposed to) and antibodies to COVID-19 were present in breast milk and cord blood. 

When administered during pregnancy, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not damage the placenta. 

An early conspiracy theory regarding the COVID vaccines and pregnancy involved the idea that it might damage the placenta. A study just published in Obstetrics and Gynecology found that COVID “vaccination was not associated with placental histopathologic lesions,” meaning it did not damage the placenta. 

STAT news now reports that, “Three of the leading professional organizations focused on pregnancy and fertility — the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine — all recommend that pregnant people get vaccinated, as well as those considering pregnancy.”

Protect yourself against COVID-19. 

If you don’t want to get the vaccine right now, the CDC recommends taking steps to reduce your risk of contracting COVID. This includes all the key recommendations from the last year: wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, not spending time indoors with poor ventilation, washing your hands, and keeping physical distance. 

At Doulas of Baltimore, we support the decisions that you make during pregnancy, without judgement. This blog post is not intended as medical advice, but provides some information about the latest research and commentary from the government and professional organizations regarding the efficacy and safety of COVID vaccines on pregnant women. As with all of your pregnancy and birth decisions, you should consult with your doctor before making any decisions about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Pregnant & Worried about COVID-19?

Are you pregnant and worried about how COVID-19 will affect your pregnancy care and birth? We have been reading all we can. Of course, the available information is new and constantly changing. 

Our goal is to provide you with solid resources so that you can have answers you are looking for while cutting out all the extra static.

As of now (3/21/2020), we have located two informative pieces that cover a lot of expectant parents’ concerns:

Please let us know what questions you have and share with us any links or information that you have found particularly helpful. 

As for Doulas of Baltimore, we have moved to virtual childbirth classes and virtual birth doula support. Our in-home postpartum support is on a brief pause as our doulas and clients get through a minimum of 14 days of social isolation and then schedule in person support of a case by case basis. **

We know the services and resources we offer are needed, in this time more than ever, and want to ensure that we continue to deliver professional, consistent support to the expectant and new families in the Baltimore area. This will not look like you had been imaging but together we can help relieve some of your worries.

** UPDATE 04/01/2020: We have redesigned our services to meet the current needs of expectant and new families during this time. We are now offering three separate options for doula support during this time of social distancing – Pregnancy Support, Virtual Birth Support, and Newborn Care Support. More information is available on our Virtual Doula Support page.

Flying During Pregnancy: Air Travel Through the Trimesters

Be it for work trips or baby moons, flying during pregnancy presents a whole new world of details to consider. Walking through security and radiation exposure, the risk for increased swelling, and remaining well hydrated, are all concerns for pregnant people who use air travel at any stage of pregnancy. Here are some specific tips and additional things to consider before you plan and pack.

Flying, pregnancy, and the TSA:

If you have concerns about going through TSA’s security scanners because of exposure to x-rays, we’ve got good news. Their scanners do not use x-ray, but instead, use non-ionizing electromagnetic waves that get reflected off the body. They are considered perfectly safe for all passengers. However, you can still opt out of the scanner, and ask for a pat down instead. A female TSA agent will perform the search, and you can continue to your gate.

Also, you can ask for as much help for lifting, and getting through the line as you need. No one is labeling you a damsel in distress. Instead, how about a savvy flyer who knows what resources are available for use!

1st Trimester

Compression stockings/socks: can help reduce swelling of your lower extremities, and promote blood flow.
Nausea remedies: The change in elevation may cause internal gasses to expand, making your tummy even more vulnerable to sickness. Try having easy to digest foods, like crackers, available in your carry on to nibble throughout the flight. Some find relief from peppermint or ginger candies.

Radiation Exposure: there is some evidence that extreme exposure to radiation between the 8th and 15th week of pregnancy may affect IQ, but the level of inflight radiation is low. Unless you work in the airline industry, you will there is little risk for the average traveler, but it is something to be aware.

No one will feel bad for you: One of the hardest parts is the lack of empathy you will garner from most people. You will be tired, and everything will feel harder, and most people do not have external signs they are expecting.

2nd Trimester

In the second trimester, most are generally feeling better than they were in the 1st trimester, with more energy restored. At the beginning of your 2nd trimester, you may still not have any noticeable physical changes, whereas when you finish the 2nd trimester, you will most likely have grown considerably.

See compression socks above.

Snacks: While you may start to feel less nauseous, you will want to continue to carry snacks and water.
Getting up and moving while in flight will help with overall discomfort in your back, hips, and legs. If you are not permitted to stand or walk, try to stretch your arms up, move your back, and flex your calves and feet.

Airline Policy: Some more significant things to consider are your airline’s policies on traveling while pregnant, and possibly restricting yourself on destinations. Most pregnancies are considered viable after 24 weeks, so in the event of an unplanned birth, consider if the place you will travel to have the medical resources to support you and your babe until you are well enough to go home.

3rd Trimester

Check with Your Doctor: With all air travel, talking with your doctor is recommended, but in the 3rd trimester, it is especially important. Most physicians discuss limiting air travel at week 36, but your specific pregnancy may have particular needs that could restrict it earlier. If you are traveling between weeks 28- 36, be ready for lots of restroom breaks, low back pain, and fatigue creeping back in. To help with all that:

Bring a pillow:  And not a neck pillow. A real pillow. Having the ability to support your body in various ways on flights may seem like a luxury. If you can have get an aisle seat (even better if there is extra leg room), we recommend it. You won’t have to maneuver around as many for your trips to the restroom, and if the seatbelt sign goes off, merely standing and swaying will be a comfort.

Travel Insurance: Consider getting travel insurance during pregnancy. In the event, you need to get home, and you need to get home now, you will make arrangements without the additional pain of a hefty bill, or make cancellations should they be necessary.

Panty liners: it may have happened before the 3rd trimester, but you may be surprised by a small release of urine when you cough or sneeze. The pressure your bladder and pelvic floor are under in the 3rd trimester make minor incontinence a very common occurrence. Having extra protection is much more comfortable than needing to bring a complete change of clothes.

Whatever trimester you are in, you can stay safer and more comfortable while flying during pregnancy!

Open Adjusting to Open Eyes to Chiropractic!

My chiropractor office in North Baltimore looks a little different than your average doctor’s office. It’s a wide open adjusting space so you can see me at work when you walk in the door. Oh, and there is usually a two-year-old shadowing my every move with a tiny colorful clicking toy.  The office was set up this way by design – there is a lot of a mystery around pediatric and pre-natal chiropractors. By having open adjusting, we hope to dispel some of the mystery, and to start a conversation. Let’s address the most common questions I get in office when someone sees a baby or pregnant woman getting adjusted.

1)     Why would an infant get adjusted?

This is first question I get asked when someone sees one of my tiniest patients. This stems from an incomplete understanding of why anyone would get adjusted. Most people associate chiropractic care with back pain, neck pain and headaches. That’s what commonly brings people in img_1730our doors, but we actually don’t cure anyone’s pain – we make sure that bones are aligned properly in order to make sure that the nerves that run in between those bones are able to function. Those nerves are responsible for telling you about pain, but they also control everything from your sense of spatial awareness to muscle tone to organ function. So even though a baby can’t tell you they have a backache, they can come in with colic or latch difficulties. Plus, have you seen a birth lately? Even in the best delivery, there’s still a lot of stress that goes into that little spine – I know I’d want to get a once-over by a chiropractor if it were me!

2)     If you adjust a pregnant patient, will it hurt the baby?

Done right, chiropractic care is safe throughout pregnancy. If you see a chiropractor who works with pregnant women, we have tables and pillows that allow our moms to lay face-down! The chiropractic adjustment itself is about the same in pregnancy, if a little bit more gentle. We’re still looking to move the subluxated (misaligned) bone back into place, but with the change in hormone levels in pregnant patients, chiropractors must be sure to account for bones that are more “suggestible” with increased the flexibility that goes along with it.

3)     How soon is too soon to get adjusted after a baby is born?

For munchkin, it’s almost never too early to get adjusted! We use fingertip pressure at specific points and directions to guide a bone (which isn’t even fully solidified yet!) into its proper position. The smallest patient I’ve adjusted was just five pounds! For mom, my rule of thumb is that if you are comfortable laying face-down, I’m comfortable working to help everything that moved to accommodate baby in the last several months find its way back to its non-pregnant place.

If you have more questions about chiropractic for moms and kids, stop on by First Step Chiropractic and see it in action!

Written for Doulas of Baltimore by Dr. Pam Woodward

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