Ob-Gyns break with CDC to back COVID shots during pregnancy

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly endorses COVID-19 vaccinations for pregnant, soon-to-be pregnant, and breastfeeding women, reaffirming its position against recent CDC guidelines that do not recommend vaccinations for healthy pregnant women.

ACOG emphasizes the importance of updating vaccines to match newly emerged variants for these groups, highlighting ongoing concerns about COVID-19 for pregnant individuals.

In contrast to ACOG's recommendations, the CDC has adjusted its guidelines and no longer advises COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy pregnant women and young children, leading to differing opinions in the medical community.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommended vaccination against COVID-19 for all children aged 6 to 23 months, reinforcing the call for immunization despite the CDC's recent guidance.

Recommendation Rating: Strongly Endorsed

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reaffirmed its recommendation for COVID-19 vaccinations among pregnant, soon-to-be pregnant, and breastfeeding women. This statement, released on Friday, marks ACOG's stance against the recent guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In updated recommendations related to COVID immunizations in obstetric and gynecologic care, ACOG emphasized the importance of receiving vaccines tailored to newly emerged variants for those within these groups.

This guidance sharply contrasts with the latest CDC directives that, as of May, no longer included healthy pregnant women and young children among those advised to receive COVID-19 vaccines. This adjustment followed a brief announcement from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

ACOG stated, "While the CDC has revised its recommendation against administering updated COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant and lactating individuals, our guidance remains unchanged."

In a related move, the American Academy of Pediatrics announced on Tuesday that all children aged 6 to 23 months should be vaccinated against COVID-19, despite the CDC's contrary advice.

Manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. include Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, and Novavax.