Please note that as of 16 April 2021, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that pregnant women should be offered the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population, based on their age and clinical risk group. The information contained in this scenario is based on previous advice. While some details will be similar or still valid, care should be taken when talking to customers to base advice on the most up to date information.

Covid-19 vaccination is currently being offered to two groups of pregnant women:

• Those with high-risk medical conditions who have a greater risk of severe illness from Covid-19
• Health and social care workers who are at high risk of contracting Covid-19.

There are various pros and cons. On the plus side, a Covid-19 infection may be more dangerous for pregnant women in terms of increasing the rate of severe illness and hospital admission, so those who have other underlying vulnerabilities such as health conditions will have more than one risk factor. Furthermore, the vaccine has been shown to be very effective at preventing infection. However, while there is currently no evidence of safety concerns for pregnant women as the vaccines do not contain ingredients known to be harmful to them or their developing babies, they have not yet been specifically tested in pregnant women, and some of the common side effects such as tiredness, muscle pain and headache, while not affecting pregnancy directly, may make women who are already feeling under the weather due to their pregnancy feel more so.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) advises women who are pregnant to gather as much information as possible when trying to make the decision as to whether they should receive the vaccine. An important question to ask is what the risk is of catching and becoming seriously unwell from Covid-19. Someone who is at higher risk of contracting the infection may be inclined to think that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the potential risks. Examples of these risks might be the job they do; coming from a black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) background; living in crowded accommodation; or being at increased risk of serious illness, maybe because they are over 35 years of age, are overweight, have other risk factors such as a compromised immune system, diabetes or asthma; or are in their third trimester, due to an increased risk of preterm birth.

Note that there is a requirement for employers to carry out a risk assessment for pregnant employees and having a vaccination does not remove this. In addition, the vaccine should work regardless of the stage of pregnancy, but some women may choose to delay beyond the first trimester, which is most important for the baby’s development.