New CDC guidance recommends pregnant people get the COVID-19 vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director on Friday recommended that pregnant people get the COVID-19 vaccine, citing a new study that suggests there is no evidence that the shot causes safety concerns for pregnant people or their babies.

Speaking at a White House COVID-19 briefing, CDC head Dr. Rochelle Walensky acknowledged that none of the participants in initial trials of the COVID-19 vaccines were pregnant, leaving doctors and families with little data on how the new shots would impact patients or their pregnancy. But emerging self-reported data from the first months of the U.S. vaccine rollout has led researchers to suggest that the new vaccines do not pose increased risk during pregnancy. "As such, CDC recommends that pregnant people receive the COVID-19 vaccine," Walensky said on Friday. "We know that this is a deeply personal decision and I encourage people to talk to their doctors or primary care providers to determine what is best for them and their baby."