CDC: Encourage pregnant patients to receive vaccines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week urged clinicians to educate pregnant and potentially pregnant patients about the benefits and safety of COVID-19 vaccination. According to CDC data, only 31% of pregnant people have been vaccinated against COVID-19, with lower rates in Black (16%) and Hispanic/Latino populations (25%). More than 125,000 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported in pregnant people, including more than 22,000 hospitalized cases and 161 deaths. About 97% of hospitalized patients were unvaccinated, the CDC reports. The agency offers a toolkit to help clinicians communicate with pregnant people and new parents about COVID-19. (CDC alert, 9/29/21)