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An unvaccinated woman is the first pregnant woman in San Diego to die of COVID-19, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.
The woman died earlier this week after being hospitalized, as did her unborn child. Her age and other details about her death and pregnancy are not being reported to protect her privacy and that of her family.
“This is a very unfortunate death, and our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Seema Shah, MD, medical director of the Epidemiology and Immunization Services branch of the HHSA. “Contracting COVID-19 during pregnancy puts you at increased risk of serious complications and death. We urge anyone who is pregnant and unvaccinated to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their babies. “
On October 6, the County Health and Human Services Agency released a health alert to the local medical community alerting them to an increase in cases and hospitalizations of unvaccinated pregnant women, and encouraging them to urge their patients to get vaccinated.
From June 1, 2021 to September 30, there were 253 laboratory-confirmed cases in pregnant women, including 203 among those who were not fully vaccinated against 50 who were fully vaccinated. Of the 253, a total of 31 required hospitalization; 30 of those hospitalized were not fully vaccinated.
Not fully vaccinated is defined as being unvaccinated or having received a single dose of Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. Fully vaccinated is defined as 14 days after the 2nd dose of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
In late September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a health notice strongly recommend that people get vaccinated against COVID-19 before, during or after pregnancy, including those who are breastfeeding, as the benefits of vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks.
According to the CDC, pregnant people who contract and develop symptoms of COVID-19 “have a double risk of being admitted to intensive care and a 70% increased risk of death.
“It is heartbreaking and tragic news that a pregnant mother and her unborn baby have died of this terrible disease,” said Dr. Joanna Adamczak, Maternal-Fetal Specialist and Chief Medical Officer of Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns. “As healthcare providers, we urgently encourage anyone who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant to get vaccinated. It offers important protection for both mom and baby.
There are more than 400 places San Diego residents can get their COVID-19 vaccine. They include doctor’s offices, retail pharmacies (Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS, etc.), community clinics, and county public health centers.
Almost 80% of eligible San Diego now fully immunized. There are many COVID-19 vaccines available in the area for residents of San Diegan who are eligible and need to be boosted and for San Diegans who have not yet been vaccinated. You can also find a full list of locations on coronavirus-sd.com.
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