Pregnancy & COVID-19

Pregnancy & COVID-19

Below are frequently asked questions related to pregnancy & COVID-19. Click on another category to the left to see more FAQs.

For more information on coronavirus, visit uclahealth.org/coronavirus.

 

Yes. In general, pregnant women are at higher risk for developing complications from some viral respiratory infections because their immune defenses are lowered during pregnancy. When it comes to COVID-19:

  • Pregnant women are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 than non-pregnant women.
  • Pregnant women with COVID-19 are at increased risk for preterm birth and other poor pregnancy outcomes.

The good news is that if you’re pregnant, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Please talk to your doctor to discuss at get more information.

Please call your provider to determine your best course of action. Do not come to Labor and Delivery, the hospital, or the outpatient clinic setting without first speaking to your provider to determine if a face-to-face evaluation is needed. Other alternatives may be available.

COVID-19 vaccination is still recommended for all people 6 months and older, including people who are pregnant, lactating, trying to get pregnant now, or planning to become pregnant in the future. The updated vaccines are produced in the same way that the original vaccines and boosters were, but have been modified to help your body also produce protection (antibodies) against the newer strains of COVID-19 that have emerged since those original vaccines were created. There is no additional risk to these updated vaccines, and no increase in side effects or complications have been reported since they were introduced.

The updated COVID-19 vaccines are entirely comparable to when the influenza vaccine is updated every year to match that year’s most likely flu strains circulating in the community. This process allows the vaccine to be as targeted and as protective as possible against the virus types currently causing infections. 

There is no reason to consider requesting a medical exemption due to being pregnant or breastfeeding alone. These updates vaccines are as safe as the original vaccines and boosters were, while being more targeted and effective. For current contraindications and precautions to the COVID vaccine, see CDC guidelines here.