Vaccinating expecting mothers imperative, says Dr Ranjit
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 22 2021:
President of Manipur Medical Council (MMC), Dr L Ranjit has categorically stated that vaccinating pregnant women against COVID-19 is imperative to protect the expecting mother as well as the fetuses.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, Dr L Ranjit of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, RIMS, continued that one among many questions that have been raising by the general population during this time of uncertainty is whether a pregnant woman going for Covid vaccination as done in the United States of America and the United Kingdom safe.
According to Dr Ranjit, around 27 million pregnant women are registered in the Country every year for antenatal care.
He further stated that experts, especially the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), had in advance predicted that the number of pregnant women in the country would increase during the lockdown period.
Continuing that three Covid vaccines recommended in the country are Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V, he added that the latter is not yet available in the country.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had announced a few days back that new mothers can also be vaccinated against COVID-19, he added.
He further noted that the American College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, which is an association of maternity care experts, had approved the administration of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson Covid doses to expecting mothers while the United Kingdom had also approved three Covid vaccines for pregnant women.
Dr L Ranjit also said that identifying the Covid vaccine best suited for recommendation to pregnant women and spreading awareness on the benefits of getting vaccinated and obeying the standard operating procedures for COVID-19 are imperative to protect the millions of pregnant women and foetuses.
According to the Royal College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, expecting mothers are safe to get Covid shots and there is no valid evidence and scientifically wrong to assume that the Covid vaccine causes infertility, he added.
As Pfizer and Moderna Covid doses have been administered to over 90, 000 pregnant women in the USA alone, it is assumed that the two vaccines are safe to pregnant women, continued the doctor adding that getting vaccinated for COVID-19 reduces the chances of virus spread.