From an interview with
Dr. Eric Coughlin
McLeod OB/GYN Associates Florence

“Before Delta became the more predominant variant strain, we didn’t see many pregnant patients having severe symptoms,” says McLeod OB/GYN Dr. Eric Coughlin. “They typically had mild-to-moderate, cough/cold symptoms. Now that Delta is the predominant variance, we are seeing more of those patients with severe symptoms and ending up in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).”

DELTA VARIANT RISKS TO THE PATIENT
“Our vaccinated pregnant patients are able to avoid the infection, the severe symptoms, the adverse effects of the virus itself and the long-term complications,” says Dr. Coughlin. “In some cases, patients develop severe COVID-19 symptoms and must deliver as early as 30 to 32 weeks so we can more effectively manage the patient. Ultimately again, the decision to be vaccinated relies on the patient.”

“With the COVID-19 Delta variant, we have seen pregnant women have up to twice the increased risk of death, up to twice the risk of needing ICU admission and up to three times the need for invasive measures to help save their lives, such as ECMO (or life support).”

BENEFITS OF THE VACCINE
“These severe symptoms aside, the benefits of vaccination include avoiding those long-term complications, the risks of preeclampsia that can accompany COVID-19 infection and the risk of preterm delivery. With the vaccine, the risks themselves are no different than they would be for non-pregnant women or for anyone else in the population, such as muscle tenderness and pain, headaches, general malaise, overall ill feeling just after receiving vaccinations. These are very similar to the symptoms you would have after your flu vaccine or tetanus shot.”
 
ACTION YOU CAN TAKE
“With the COVID-19 vaccine, we have not seen any increase in the major risks that most patients would worry about, such as a miscarriage. The best we can do is recommend that all of our patients get the vaccine to avoid the adverse events, whether it’s ending up being admitted to the hospital, admitted to the ICU or having a preterm delivery, which can affect your child’s health throughout life.”

“Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent those complications,” says Dr. Coughlin. “I can unequivocally say the data supports that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe.”

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