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What you need to know about the Delta variant if you're pregnant

By Ivana Kottasová

The Delta variant of Covid-19 is dominating cases worldwide, and health officials in some countries are sounding alarm over its impact on pregnant women.

Several of England's top health officials issued a joint statement on Friday urging pregnant women to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The World Health Organization ( WHO) has also previously said that infected, pregnant women face an increased risk of developing severe Covid-19 compared with non- pregnant women of a similar age.

The risk might be higher with the Delta strain, which has been shown to be more contagious and can cause more severe disease compared to earlier variants. Here's what you need to know.

Is Delta dangerous if you're pregnant?

The Delta variant is more contagious and can cause more severe disease for everyone, including pregnant women.

The latest data gathered by the UK Obstetric Surveillance System ( UKOSS) showed the number of pregnant women that are being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 is increasing in the UK due to the Delta strain. "Compared to the original Covid virus the new variants ( alpha and then delta) caused progressively more severe disease in pregnant women," Andrew Shennan, professor of obstetrics at King's College London, said. "This included need for ventilation, intensive care admission and pneumonia, more than 50% more likely to occur," he added.

What about risks to the baby?

Previous studies have shown that Covid-19 infection raises the risk of negative outcomes for both the mother and the baby. These risks include preeclampsia, infections, admission to hospital intensive care units and even death. According to an April study published in JAMA Pediatrics, babies born to mothers infected with the coronavirus were also at a somewhat higher risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.

Is the vaccine safe for pregnant people?

Yes. Studies and real- world data have shown there are no specific safety concerns for pregnant people or their babies on taking a Covid-19 vaccine. "Hundreds of thousands of pregnant women worldwide have been vaccinated, safely and effectively protecting themselves against Covid and dramatically reducing their risk of serious illness or harm to their baby," Gill Walton, the chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives in the UK, said.

What about those breastfeeding?

The WHO has recommended breastfeeding women should be vaccinated and said women should not stop breastfeeding due to vaccination, because the shots are unlikely to pose any risk for the baby. Research has shown that most pregnant women who got the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines passed protective antibodies to their newborns, measured in breast milk and the placenta.

Covid vaccines do not cause infertility

Myths about the Covid-19 vaccines impacting infertility have been swirling on social media, but scientists have been clear: these have no scientific basis.

Dr Richard Beigi said there was "no clear scientific reason to think the new vaccine would cause fertility problems."

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2021-08-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-08-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

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