The Delta variant is more transmissible and causes more severe symptoms than other strains. Getting a Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy can protect you from severe illness from the disease," she notes. "Around the world, hundreds of thousands of pregnant women have been vaccinated, mainly with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and no notable safety concerns have been identified. The vaccines are highly effective as almost all hospital admissions are for individuals who are not fully vaccinated," Dr Khenyab added.
She says that the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance states that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe Covid-19 compared with women of childbearing age who are not pregnant, and Covid-19 has been associated with an increased risk of preterm births. "Pregnant women are at increased risk for severe outcomes when they get Covid-19 and even if they're healthy, the pregnancy itself makes them susceptible to some of the complications of the virus. Therefore, pregnant women are more likely to have severe Covid-19 and more likely to be hospitalised, and any severe illness in pregnancy increases the risk to the outcome of the pregnancy," Dr Khenyab said.
Additionally, pregnant women with Covid-19 are at increased risk of preterm birth and might be at increased risk of other adverse conditions, she emphasised. To book an appointment to receive Covid-19 vaccine, pregnant women may visit the MoPH's website: moph.gov.qa or contact your primary healthcentre directly.