Weeks before Elizabeth Espinal, five months pregnant, rolled up her sleeve to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the neurosurgery researcher discussed her confidence in the lap with her husband, Santos, a chef.
“He had some concerns that are common to people who are not in the medical field,” the expectant mother told The Post in Queens. “But I wanted him to be comfortable with the decision, too, because we’re in this together.”
Until they decided, the Espinals were one of the growing number of expectant parents to grapple with the pros and cons, as vaccination continues – especially since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet made any direct recommendations or pregnant women should be innocent or not.
The 36-year-old Northwell Health employee, Espinal, 36, added: ‘We thought about it a lot and got opinions from my OB-GYN and the doctors I work closely with.
‘I look at things very scientifically and weigh the risks such as contracting COVID-19 and the documented cases of premature birth [the disease has caused]. All the roads indicated to get the chance because there are no real risks associated with it [pregnant women receiving] it, apart from [the side effects that would impact] anyone who took the vaccine, ”she said.
So far, the CDC has only said that the vaccine is unlikely to pose a risk to pregnant people, and that those who are pregnant and part of a group that recommends receiving the coronavirus vaccine, such as healthcare professionals, can choose to be vaccinated. ”
The position of the centers was accepted by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Both organizations recommend that patients consult their healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of the vaccine.
SMFM spokesperson, dr. Jacqueline Parchem, a medical-fetal medicine who will give birth to her third child in February, recently used Twitter to express her personal opinion on the matter powerfully.
The 38-year-old member of the UTHealth faculty shared a photo of her injected. Another photo shows the OB-GYN in Houston holding a fill-in-the-blank sticker – ‘I got the vaccine for: everyone is pregnant ppl!, ”She writes.
She told The Post her social media campaign has three objectives: to lay out the science behind the vaccine, to ensure its safety and to show how she leads by example.
“We are in a very difficult time when it is difficult to distinguish the good information from the bad and where the credible sources are,” Parchem said. “Physicians are now coming forward with an unequivocal message on public health to address vaccine hesitation.”
Uniform anti-vaxxers have tested Parchem for her position online, but she is taking the attacks into account: “[Their] comments come from a place of fear because there is no scientific basis, ”she said. “I did not have a negative comment from anyone who could articulate their real concern for me.”
In her tweets, the expert says that it is’ difficult to find any other medical intervention that works IT well ‘, adding:’ Unfortunately I know the risks of COVID during pregnancy and have seen too many pregnant patients with serious illnesses. ‘
She said she was frustrated by the lack of evidence research on pregnant women and the vaccine, because the group was usually excluded from these types of trials. No female participants who accidentally became pregnant during the test, nor the babies they gave birth to afterwards, have so far shown negative outcomes.
‘Nevertheless, there is an increased risk of serious diseases [due to COVID] among pregnant people, leading to more need for ICU care, mechanical ventilation and possibly death, ”said Parchem. ‘If the pregnant person becomes ill or dies, the fetus will not do well.
‘It’s an awkward thought to have, but, as one of me [medical peers] spelled out: “Death crosses the placenta.”
“If you put it all together, you need to be vaccinated.”
Manhattan resident Elaina Preston, an 11-week-pregnant medical assistant who works with patients with strong immune deficiency, was quick to listen to such advice.
She received her second dose on January 7 after examining the vaccination studies and consulting her reproductive doctor, OB-GYN and expert colleagues.
“I was relieved to be eligible, especially since I have moderate persistent asthma,” said Preston, 38, the mother of a 1-year-old. “Now I have more confidence in working in a hospital because I know that the majority of my co-workers will also be vaccinated.”
Recall the moment she received her first dose, on December 18, the medical profession acknowledged that he had a “slight feeling of anxiety about being one of the earlier pregnant people being vaccinated.”
But with a master’s degree in public health and a background in clinical research, she trusts the data.
“I am so glad that after all the terrible things that happened in 2020, I am taking a step that moves us forward into a better future.”