The World Health Organization on Friday reversed its guidelines on pregnant women taking the coronavirus vaccine created by Moderna and now said it recommends the development for expectant people.
“While pregnant women are at higher risk for severe COVID-19, there is very little data available to determine vaccine safety during pregnancy. Based on what we know about this type of vaccine, we have no specific reason to go there do not believe there will be specific risks that will outweigh the benefits of vaccination for pregnant women, “the WHO said in the updated guidance.
The move comes after the global health agency was criticized for its stance because it clashed with the leadership of the CDC. Experts have also expressed concern that inconsistent information could confuse expectant women in the hope of learning whether or not they should be vaccinated against COVID-19.
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The change comes days after the WHO initially said it did not recommend the Moderna jab for pregnant women, “unless they are at high risk of being exposed to the new disease, such as health workers.”
The WHO’s updated stance is in line with the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which notes on its website that ‘people who are pregnant and part of a group recommended for the COVID-19 vaccine to receive. “
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Neither the Moderna vaccine nor the one created by Pfizer-BioNTech has been tested on pregnant women. But “no safety issues were shown in rats that received [the] Modern COVID-19 vaccine before or during pregnancy, “says the CDC, noting that” studies of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are ongoing. “
The Moderna jab, as well as the one created by Pfizer, does not contain a live virus; they were created using groundbreaking mRNA technology.
mRNA vaccines “do not interact with a person’s DNA because the mRNA does not enter the nucleus of the cell. Cells degrade the mRNA rapidly. Based on how mRNA vaccines work, experts believe that it is probably not a specific risk to pregnant women, “the CDC continues.
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However, the agency notes: “The actual risks of mRNA vaccines for the pregnant person and her fetus are unknown because these vaccines have not been studied in pregnant women.”
The move comes after the global health agency was criticized for its stance because it clashed with the leadership of the CDC. Experts have also expressed concern that inconsistent information could confuse expectant women in the hope of learning whether or not they should be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The WHO did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment on what caused the change.
Studies on the effects that COVID-19 can have on pregnancies are ongoing. That said, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, published earlier this week, suggests that pregnant women with severe COVID-19 disease have an increased risk of death and premature birth, compared to those with asymptomatic cases of the disease.
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The study follows previous findings by the CDC, which say that pregnant women who contract the coronavirus are at greater risk of serious illness and death than non-pregnant women.
Foxla’s Kayla Rivas contributed to this report.