Is COVID-19 vaccine safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy?

1. Pregnancy raises the risk of a severe case of COVID-19, including a higher chance of hospitalization, needing intensive care, or needing help breathing, which is exactly why vaccination offers some of its biggest benefit to pregnant people specifically. 1
2. No safety concerns turned up in a pooled review covering more than 600,000 pregnant people, and separate large studies from Canada and Scandinavia found the same thing, plus fewer serious complications overall. 2
3. Birth outcomes like the miscarriage rate, tracked in one of the earliest vaccine safety studies covering more than 800 completed pregnancies after an mRNA dose, matched the normal range seen before the pandemic, with no red flags. 3
4. Getting vaccinated in the first trimester specifically hasn't been linked to a higher chance of birth defects, and there's no need to stop or delay breastfeeding after a dose either. 4
5. Vaccination passes protective antibodies to your baby, which can lower a newborn's chance of being hospitalized for COVID-19 in the first 6 months, before they're old enough for their own vaccine. 5

Is COVID-19 vaccine safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. There's no need to wait. Vaccination is considered fine in any trimester, including right away in the first, and getting a dose early hasn't been linked to a higher chance of birth defects. If nausea already has you feeling rough, ask your provider about timing so a mild vaccine side effect like a low fever isn't confused with morning sickness.
• Second trimester. The second trimester is a comfortable, common time to catch up if you haven't gotten a dose yet this season, especially heading into fall and winter when respiratory viruses spread more. It's also fine to get your COVID-19 vaccine at the same visit as a flu shot.
• Third trimester. Vaccinating in the third trimester still works well and gives your baby a solid stretch of time to build up protective antibodies before birth. If you're not sure whether you're due for an updated seasonal dose, bring it up at your next prenatal visit.