HOUSTON — Should pregnant woman get the COVID-19 vaccine? It’s a question a lot of mothers out there are asking.
KHOU 11 spoke to one expecting mom about her decision to get vaccinated.
“We are very, very excited to welcome our little one into the world. We’re due in March," said Kristin Malaer, who is 29 weeks pregnant. “Baby's due date is actually the day after my birthday, so we may have the same birthday."
She’s a social worker at Memorial Hermann, but still when she heard she could get the vaccine, she had questions.
“What was the impact on baby. I was very afraid for baby and wanting to make the best decision that I could," she said.
We asked Malaer what was the one thing that convinced her getting vaccinated was the right decision.
“You are able to possibly pass those antibodies to your baby, and we know you can do that through breastfeeding and potentially in utero," she said.
Dr. Sidra Yunas is an OBGYN at Memorial Hermann who says pregnant moms can pass antibodies on to their babies.
“Absolutely, and that’s what we want," she said.
Dr. Yunas is also a mother who had to make her own decision about getting the vaccine.
“I’m breastfeeding right now, and I got the vaccine, and I felt very comfortable doing so," she said.
She said Pfizer had 23 women and Moderna had 13 women who became pregnant after enrolling in the vaccine trial. None had complications.
“I know there’s a lot of misconceptions that this vaccine has certain proteins, that are going to attack the placenta and prevent the placenta from growing. There has been nothing that’s pointed towards this," Dr. Yunas said.
Malaer had an appointment to get a vaccine but decided to push it back two weeks so she could feel more confident. Now, with the first dose behind her, she’s glad she did.
“Your decision may not be the same as mine, but getting the information together and looking at the data, looking at the safety of the vaccine and then making an educated choice, that’s all that we can do at this point," she said.
Pregnant women are included in phase 1B, and vaccinations for them have begun across the Houston area. The best way to get a vaccine is by calling your OBGYN or by making an appointment through your local health department.