The second wave caused more pain and deaths despite have more knowledge about the virus than last year. This is because of the mutating variants. It has been months since India started the vaccination drive and yet a small fraction of people have been vaccinated so far.

 There have been numerous doubts and rumours about the virus. One such rumour was that pregnant women should not get vaccinated. Is this true? NO! The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have stated that it IS safe for pregnant women to get vaccinated

Why is it a necessity to get vaccinated while pregnant?

Even though being pregnant does not make you more vulnerable to the virus, studies say that women who are pregnant and have the virus within them are at a higher risk than women who are not pregnant. The mother’s health is likely to deteriorate rapidly, eventually causing harm to the foetus’ health too.

If the mother is over 35 years of age, the virus could pose as a threat to both the mother and the baby who she is expecting. Getting vaccinated against the virus will drastically reduce the severity of COVID-19 for the expecting mother. It will start building antibodies just like any other vaccine and help the mother build a great immune response against the virus.

When is the right time to get vaccinated?

The vaccination window for pregnant women is flexible. You can get vaccinated as and when you please after consulting your doctor.  An expecting mother who has recovered from COVID-19 can as get vaccinated. They would have to wait for a period of 3 months post recovery as per medical guidelines.

Are there any risks involved?

Studies state that the risks involved are much lesser than the benefits one could gain from getting vaccinated. It is a procedure encouraged to empower mothers to decide what will benefit her and the life that she is carrying. The side effects of the vaccine are similar for everyone, irrespective of a pregnancy. In case this happens your doctor will be able to guide you about the management of any discomfort or side effects arising after vaccination. Do not medicate by yourself and always keep your doctor in loop. The most common side effects, if they do occur are

·        Sore arm

·        Fatigue

·        Fever

·        Chills

·        Body ache

·        Headache

·        Nausea

How does one go about the registration?

It is instructed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that state governments make vaccination available to all pregnant women who want to get vaccinated.  Any expecting mother can walk in to a vaccination drive or register on the CoWIN website.

When you are growing a life inside you, you’re making decision for two. It’s important to consult a doctor and make an informed decision that is in the best interest for you and your child. We would love to assist you and make your life simpler. Masters Health provides superior quality and affordable medicines. We strive to keep up with our motto, ‘Caring for Life’.