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With recent statewide vaccination mandates, members of the public may have questions or concerns about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination, especially in pregnant mothers.
Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, professor and chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at UC San Diego Health can help guide mothers and their families in understanding the value of vaccination, including the timing of shots and potential side effects. She will share with your viewers or readers:
- New guidelines from both American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM).
- Both now recommend vaccination in pregnant individuals.Pregnant women have more severe disease when infected with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant individuals.
- Vaccination during pregnancy can confer protection to the newborn.
As the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread throughout the United States, New York City became an early epicenter. Gyamfi-Bannerman and her team reported on the first cases of pregnant women infected with the virus, identifying atypical and asymptomatic presentations and the need for personal protective equipment.
Gyamfi-Bannerman previously co-chaired the ACOG COVID task force, and currently sits on the SMFM COVID task force. As a board-certified maternal-fetal medicine specialist, Gyamfi-Bannerman is internationally recognized for her work in obstetric complications, with a primary focus on preterm birth, both in prevention and in the use of antenatal corticosteroids, or steroids. She is also a perinatal epidemiologist with a Master of Science degree in biostatistics, answering clinical questions using available clinical data.
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