These pregnant health professionals received the COVID vaccine

Weeks before Elizabeth Espinal, five months pregnant, rolled up her sleeve to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the neurosurgery researcher discussed her confidence in shooting with her husband, Santos, a chef.

“He had reservations which are common for people who are not in the medical field,” the Queens-based mother-to-be told The Post. “But I wanted him to be comfortable with the decision as well, because we’re in the same boat.”

Until they make up their minds, the Espinals were among the ever-growing number of future parents who must fight the pros and cons as the vaccine rollout continues – especially as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have yet to make direct recommendations. whether or not pregnant women should be innoculated.

Espinal, 36, an employee of Northwell Health, added: “We thought about it a lot and gathered the opinions of my OB-GYN and the doctors I work closely with.

“I look at it in a very scientific way, weighing risks such as the contraction of COVID-19 and documented cases of preterm birth. [the disease has caused]. All the roads pointed to the shot, as there are no real risks associated with [pregnant women receiving] that apart [the side effects that would impact] anyone who has taken the vaccine, ”she said.

So far, the CDC has only said that the vaccine is “unlikely to pose a risk to pregnant women” and that those “who are pregnant and are part of a group recommended to receive the coronavirus vaccine, such as health workers can choose to be vaccinated. ”

The centers’ position has been adopted by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Both organizations recommend that patients consult their health care provider about the risks and benefits of the vaccine.

SMFM spokesperson Dr. Jacqueline Parchem, a specialist in maternal and fetal medicine who will give birth to her third child in February, recently used twitter to forcefully express his personal point of view on the matter.

The 38-year-old shared a photo of herself getting an injection at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, the hospital where she works in Houston. Another photo shows the OB-GYN holding a sticker to fill out – “I received the vaccine for: all pregnant ppl!She wrote.

She told the Post that her social media campaign had three goals: to explain in layman’s terms the science behind the vaccine, to offer assurances about its safety, and to show how it leads by example.

“We are in a very difficult time where it is difficult to distinguish good information from bad and where the credible sources are,” Parchem said. “Doctors are now distributing unequivocal public health messages to combat vaccine hesitancy.

Uniformed anti-vaxxers trolled Parchem for her line position, but she takes the attacks in her wake: “[Their] the comments come from a place of fear because there is no scientific basis, ”she said. “I have not received any negative comments from anyone who has expressed their real concern to me.”

In his tweets, the expert notes that it is “difficult to find another medical intervention that works well THIS”, adding: “Unfortunately, I know the risks of COVID during pregnancy and I have seen too many pregnant patients affected. serious illness. “

She said she was frustrated with the lack of evidence-based research on pregnant women and the vaccine due to the group’s customary exclusion from these types of trials. However, none of the participants who conceived during the test – nor the babies they delivered afterwards – have shown negative results so far.

“Nevertheless, there is a proven increased risk of serious illness [due to COVID] among pregnant women, resulting in more intensive care needs, mechanical ventilation and potentially death, ”Parchem said. “If the pregnant person gets sick or dies, the fetus will not be well.

“It’s an uncomfortable thought to have but, like one of my [medical peers] spelled: “Death crosses the placenta”.

“When you put it all together, you have to get the vaccine.”

Manhattan resident Elaina Preston, an 11-week pregnant medical assistant who works with highly immunocompromised patients, was quick to listen to this advice.

She received her second dose on January 7 after reviewing vaccine studies and consulting with her reproductive doctor, OB-GYN, and knowledgeable colleagues.

“I was relieved that I was eligible, especially because I have moderate persistent asthma,” said Preston, 38, mother of one-year-old. “Now I have more confidence in my work in a hospital environment, knowing that the majority of my colleagues will also be vaccinated.”

Recalling the moment when she received her first dose, on December 18, the health professional admitted “a slight feeling of anxiety at the idea of ​​being one of the first pregnant women to be vaccinated”.

But, with a master’s degree in public health and a background in clinical research, she trusts the data.

“I am so happy that after all the terrible things that happened in 2020, I am taking a step that takes us forward to a better future.”