There is very little research into how pregnant women are affected by this variant of the coronavirus. Now comes the result from British monitoring of all pregnant women who were admitted to hospital during the first period with omicrons. The research is presented in an article in the journal “BMJMedicine”. – Important to protect pregnant women The study shows that most pregnant women who were admitted with moderate to severe infection were unvaccinated. Or they had received fewer doses than recommended. – We see that the vaccine is important to protect pregnant women also against the omicron variant. It is important that pregnant women follow updated vaccination advice. That’s according to senior physician and researcher at the Institute of Public Health (FHI) Hilde Engjom. Engjom has participated in the British study as part of a collaboration between FHI and the University of Oxford. – This is unique research on omicron infection in pregnant women, she says. They have received reports from all 194 UK hospitals with maternity wards. 3,699 pregnant women who were admitted to hospital with proven infection with coronavirus are included in the study. The women were admitted from mid-December in 2021 to mid-March this year. Facts from the British surveillance of pregnant women Among 986 women with symptoms, 1 in 5 unvaccinated had moderate to severe disease, this proportion was reduced to 1 in 20 in women with three vaccine doses. Pregnant women with moderate to severe disease fulfilled one of the following criteria: These had low oxygen saturation in the blood, signs of pneumonia or the need for breathing assistance. 30 women were admitted to the intensive care unit, the majority of these women were unvaccinated and none had received three vaccination doses. Four maternal deaths were recorded due to covid-19, three of the women were unvaccinated and one had received a vaccine dose. Among 3,699 pregnant women who were admitted to hospital with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection, a quarter had symptoms, the rest were admitted for other reasons with an infection without symptoms. (source FHI) The unvaccinated got sickest Among those who had symptoms, it was clear that it was the unvaccinated who got sickest, explains Engjom. 30 women were admitted to intensive care units with covid-19 during this period. The majority were unvaccinated and none had received three doses. Four deaths were recorded. Three of them were unvaccinated and one of them had received a dose of vaccine – It is of course very serious, says Engjom. Engjom emphasizes that most pregnant women who become infected have mild symptoms and give birth to healthy children. Have you thought that omikron was also milder for pregnant women? – This has been seen in adults in the general population. The study shows a lower proportion of intensive care patients and deaths compared with alpha and especially with delta. But omicron also causes serious illness in unvaccinated people. Will there be a new recommendation on top-ups In Norway, vaccine coverage has been better than in Great Britain. Engjom says that FHI has followed this and seen that the coverage here increased through the autumn of 2021. In February this year, approx. 70 percent of the women who gave birth received two doses. The vaccine also protects newborns in the first period after birth. In Norway, pregnant women who are in the risk group are advised to take two doses and a third if more than 20 weeks have passed since the second dose. FHI will come out with new updated vaccination advice for pregnant women this autumn, says Engjom at FHI. Photo: FHI – Especially now when there is less focus on this and no restrictions, it is important to get vaccinated. It must not be too long since the last vaccine dose, as protection is reduced. And she adds: – This refilling is very important and will be included in the new recommendations for pregnant women from FHI. There will most likely be advice on extra refills beyond the three doses. Midwife: – Little question about vaccines recently Liv Kristin Olsen is head of the midwifery service in Bodø. She says many pregnant women asked about the vaccine and took the vaccine when the recommendations first came. – Recently, there has been little question about vaccination, as many women of childbearing age have already been vaccinated before they became pregnant. Professional leader for the midwifery service in Bodø, Kristin Olsen Photo: Privat Midwives in Bodø follow national advice for vaccination, she explains. – We provide good information to pregnant women. Research that can contribute to making it safer for mother and child is always positive.
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New British research shows that pregnant women must continue to get their corona vaccination, says FHI chief doctor Engjom – news Nordland
