TORONTO – Canada's gynecologists affirm that COVID-19 vaccination “remains safe and strongly recommended” during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This statement from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) was issued on a Wednesday following remarks from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a noted anti-vaccine activist, who claimed the vaccine is no longer advisable for healthy children and pregnant women in the United States.

The SOGC emphasizes that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 face a significantly higher risk of severe illness, which may necessitate hospitalization and intensive care, compared to non-pregnant women. The organization highlights that receiving the COVID-19 vaccine not only aids in protecting against serious complications linked to the virus, such as preterm birth, but also contributes to overall maternal and fetal well-being.

“We have mounting, increasing scientific evidence about the impact of COVID-19 infection or other respiratory viruses on pregnant people and how vaccination does reduce that,” stated Dr. Darine El-Chaar, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at The Ottawa Hospital, in an interview. She represented the SOGC during the discussion. Dr. El-Chaar underlined that pregnant women continue to be a priority population for COVID vaccination efforts in Canada, emphasizing that the vaccine can confer some level of immunity against the virus to the baby.

In response to Kennedy's declaration to halt the vaccine recommendation in the U.S., El-Chaar criticized the lack of medical evidence supporting such a decision. “There’s been no study, there’s been no clinical trial, no follow-up studies that have suggested any adverse outcomes or impact from COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant populations or infants … that would scientifically influence the decision made by the authorities in the U.S.,” she articulated, clearly opposing the unfounded claims made by the U.S. official.

Moreover, the SOGC points to a prevalent “age of growing misinformation and disinformation,” urging both women and healthcare providers to rely on “evidence-based science and clinical expertise” when making vaccination decisions. Dr. El-Chaar noted the importance of the statement to alleviate concerns among pregnant women in Canada who might encounter misleading information circulating in news outlets or social media platforms.

Pregnant women are strongly encouraged to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, particularly if their last vaccine dose was more than six months prior. Dr. El-Chaar metaphorically framed the significance of vaccination by stating, “I talk about ‘one vaccine, two lives.’ You’re protecting the mom and the baby.”