"No red flags": Fauci confident about COVID-19 vaccine trials for pregnant women

Pregnant women may find it reassuring that Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the U.S., stated that there were no red flags in the trials of pregnant women who have already been vaccinated against COVID-19.

FoxNews reported that Fauci told the American Medical Association on Thursday that thus far, there were no red flags, thereby giving pregnant women a bit of assurance after conflicting reports on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines surfaced last month.

"The FDA, as part of the typical follow-up you have following the initial issuing of an EUA, have found thus far...no red flags," said the chief medical adviser of U.S. Pres. Joe Biden.

Fauci admitted that pregnant women were initially excluded from trials, which was why there was still no categorical statement on whether they should be vaccinated or not. However, the present pronouncement of Fauci was anchored on the fact that more than 10,000 pregnant women have already participated in COVID-19 vaccine trials after an emergency use authorisation was issued by the Food and Drug Administration to Pfizer and Moderna.

Fauci has also explained that most of the pregnant women who joined the trials were health care providers who were exposed to COVID-19. These women opted to take a chance, get vaccinated, rather than risk contracting COVID-19 while handling patients.

It can be recalled that the World Health Organization (WHO) made two conflicting pronouncements on vaccinating pregnant women. It posted on Jan. 8 that it was not recommending the vaccination at that time except for those women who had an unavoidable high risk of exposure.

On the other hand, on Jan. 26, the health organisation made another statement and said that the Moderna vaccine can be used on pregnant women since the organization does not have any specific reason to believe that there are any specific risks which could outweigh the benefits of being vaccinated.

With the results of the trials involving pregnant women, it offers a more reassuring tone for those who want to get vaccinated.

Pregnant woman