Alabama Health Officials Say COVID-19 Vaccine Safe For Pregnant Women
Among the various reasons for vaccine hesitancy, one of the most prominent and personal is a concern about the COVID-19 vaccine’s potential effect on pregnant women or those who might soon want to become pregnant.
Alabama doctors and health officials took those concerns head-on Thursday, seeking to reassure women that the vaccines are safe and effective.
During the Medical Association of the State of Alabama’s weekly live Facebook event, state health leaders said all of the latest medical data and research shows the COVID-19 vaccine does not have any adverse effects on maternal health or fertility in women.
Dr. Mimi Munn, a maternal-fetal physician professor and chair of the obstetrics and gynecology at the University of South Alabama, said the nation’s top OBGYN doctors and associations recommend pregnant women get vaccinated.
“Data is accumulating every day on the COVID vaccine on pregnancy, and so far everything looks very reassuring,” Munn said.
State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris also gave an update on the state’s current situation with COVID-19 cases, which he says is growing at a rate they have never seen before during the pandemic.
“We are pretty concerned about what the next three to four weeks are going to look like, just because of the rate of increase of cases,” Harris said.
Harris said they are now seeing more than 3,000 new cases a day for the past three days and hospitalizations are approaching 1,900 which is about a 10 fold increase from where they were four weeks ago.
Munn said in recent weeks she has noticed more younger women needing to be hospitalized because of COVID-19 and that the virus does increase the risk of negative outcomes for pregnancies.
Munn also said studies have shown the vaccine to be safe for breastfeeding women and that while some reports have shown that women’s menstrual cycles have become irregular, that is most likely due to stress.
Harris said while hospitals are more prepared to deal with a surge of cases than when they were at the beginning of the pandemic, the rapid increase in hospitalizations could still put a strain on them.
“If we get to the numbers we had back in January, I don’t know if our hospital system can handle more than that,” Harris said. “That becomes an issue where you just don’t physically have the space to put people and you don’t have the staff to take care of those people.”
The most hospitalizations Alabama has seen at one time was 3,084 in January 2021.
“I am very alarmed by the increase in numbers and the severity of illness, and again for me, it’s science. The risk for what is happening to women is now higher than any worries about side effects from the vaccine, which again I have not seen any,” Munn said.
Harris also said while the state keeps working to increase Alabama’s vaccination rate, everyone — regardless of their vaccination status — should wear a mask while in indoor public areas due to the highly infectious nature of the COVID-19 delta variant that is now widespread across the state.
Memphis and Portland, Ore. brace for troops. Why Chicago might be next
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the Department of Homeland Security has requested for 100 military personnel to help protect ICE agents and facilities in his state.
5 takeaways from the U.S. ceasefire proposal for Israel and Hamas
The leaders of the U.S. and Israel say they have agreed to a broad plan that could end Israel's war in Gaza. But substantial uncertainties remain.
As sports betting explodes, should states set more limits to stop gambling addiction?
With concerns about addiction rising, some advocates and lawmakers call for federal regulations on the gambling industry — but would settle for more state laws to help curb excessive betting.
Government to shut down after midnight barring last minute breakthrough in Congress
Democrats and Republicans have been unable to resolve an impasse over federal healthcare spending. The government will shutdown at the end of the day on Tuesday barring a last-minute breakthrough.
EV sales surge in the U.S. ahead of Sept. 30 tax credit deadline
A $7,500 tax credit is available for the lease or purchase of many electric vehicles — but only if contracts are inked by midnight on Sept. 30. The result: The market for EVs is a little distorted.
Trump, Hegseth to headline a highly unusual gathering of top military officials
It is highly unusual to bring in military leaders from across the globe to one central location. The president said the meeting would discuss "esprit de corps."