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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I think every woman of child-bearing age needs to know this - AIBU?

96 replies

reader12 · 02/12/2021 11:46

98.1% of pregnant women in hospital with COVID are unvaccinated.

98.7% of pregnant women with COVID in intensive care are unvaccinated. None of them have had two doses of the vaccine.

It feels like an emergency to me that everyone knows these figures and understands what they mean. As well as the horror of being ill and pregnant for each person going through it, the horror all the doctors and nurses are going through in dealing with this over and over again is totally avoidable.

Infographic with all the stats: www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/assets/downloads/MBRRACE-UK_Rapid_COVID_19_2021_-__Infographic_v10.pdf

More info on the source: www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk/news/2173-covid-19-in-pregnancy

OP posts:
ACovidofWitches · 02/12/2021 12:28

It's so distressing and well done for trying to draw peoples' attention to it. It's awful to think of women dying unnecessarily and I can imagine it's incredibly distressing for the hcp's treating them too

Ohbotherpiglet · 02/12/2021 12:30

@Chasingaftermidnight

Yes, I completely agree. Personally all I need to know is that 13 women died during pregnancy or 6 weeks afterwards with Covid 19 between July and September this year. 13! What a waste.
The infograph doesn’t say what they died off. Only that they had covid symptoms when they died. A woman could have sepsis, catch covid in hospital and die of sepsis and would count as one of those 13. The data is meaningless. We need to look at whether more pregnant women died this year/last year than previous years to see if anything meaningful is here
TulipsGarden · 02/12/2021 12:34

@XenoBitch

Probably loads, but that doesn't change these stats. Out of 235 pregnant woman with COVID in intensive care between February and September this year, not one had been double jabbed

Was anyone double jabbed back in February? Or anyone of child-bearing age in September?

Some NHS frontline staff were double-jabbed by February, under the initial three-week guidelines. Granted not many, but my friend of child-bearing age certainly was.
showmethegin · 02/12/2021 12:36

@XenoBitch

Probably loads, but that doesn't change these stats. Out of 235 pregnant woman with COVID in intensive care between February and September this year, not one had been double jabbed

Was anyone double jabbed back in February? Or anyone of child-bearing age in September?

I got my second jab on 1st July (33 years old). That's about the same as most of my friends that range from 30-38. So yes
KiwiDramaQueen · 02/12/2021 12:36

The whole “well we don’t know the long term effects of the vaccine” argument is nonsense. We don’t know the long term impact of Covid on pregnant women or a foetus either. They’re both unknowns, although science can make a pretty good assumptions about the long term effects of the vaccine as it’s quite similar to other vaccines.

We DO know the possible very serious effects of Covid on pregnant women and foetuses in the short term though, and they far outweigh the risks of the vaccine.

KiwiDramaQueen · 02/12/2021 12:37

(I’m pregnant and got my second jab in my first trimester in case that’s of any relevance to my opinion!)

showmethegin · 02/12/2021 12:37

Sorry, 1st June, not July, just checked!

doublemonkey · 02/12/2021 12:38

OP, I've just copied this from the NHS website. Your post is scare-mongering and promotes misinformation...

Pregnancy and your risk
If you’re pregnant your chance of getting COVID-19 is not higher than anyone else and it’s very unlikely you’ll get seriously ill with it.

Pregnant women are in the moderate risk (clinically vulnerable) group as a precaution. This is because you can sometimes be more at risk from viruses like flu if you're pregnant.

It's not clear if this happens with COVID-19. But because it's a new virus, it's safer to include pregnant women in the moderate risk group.

Although it's very rare for pregnant women to become seriously ill if they get COVID-19, it may be more likely later in pregnancy. If this happens, there's a small chance your baby may be born early or you may be advised to give birth earlier than your due date.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/pregnancy-and-coronavirus/

StrongLegs · 02/12/2021 12:39

@KiwiDramaQueen

The whole “well we don’t know the long term effects of the vaccine” argument is nonsense. We don’t know the long term impact of Covid on pregnant women or a foetus either. They’re both unknowns, although science can make a pretty good assumptions about the long term effects of the vaccine as it’s quite similar to other vaccines.

We DO know the possible very serious effects of Covid on pregnant women and foetuses in the short term though, and they far outweigh the risks of the vaccine.

True.

I've had long covid twice and I would NOT have liked to have gone through either of those illnesses when pregnant.

When I was pregnant a decade or so ago there was a flu pandemic going on then and I had the vaccine. It gave me a bit of a sore arm but that was all.

Fleur405 · 02/12/2021 12:40

I only think women who are pregnant need to know this - I am currently pregnant and the advice re getting vaccinated is made abundantly clear. FWIW I had my second jab while pregnant and will get the booster when available.

luinagreine · 02/12/2021 12:41

@21dolly

Interesting statistics.

When I was pregnant (Aug 2020 - May 2021) you wasn't allowed to get the vaccine if you were pregnant! Now I'm pregnant again and the advice has been to take the vaccineConfused the advice given isn't consistent and it's confusing!

I won't be getting the vaccine until after I've had the baby as I've done my research and have no clue how it could affect our unborn baby

Surely if you are a research scientist you shouldn't find it confusing that advice changes based on, well, research?
supermoonrising · 02/12/2021 12:41

Unfortunately most politicians these days are held in such low esteem - seen as in it for themselves, putting the interests of capital/corporations over people, lying to the public and even to parliament to get their agenda through. Also most seem intent on increasing social surveillance - be it internet/ID cards etc. Anyway, there's a lot of mistrust and a lot of it justified. Seems to me that unfortunately there's a substantial minority of adults who have transferred this general distrust of politicians and power (big Pharma, data collecting etc) onto the vaccine issue. I get the mindset, but it is almost certainly a mistake of course.

Lockdownbear · 02/12/2021 12:42

@gamerchick

I think everyone has chosen their stance and nobody is budging from it. Personally I think everyone should learn their lessons the natural way now. If that means hospitals then so be it. Hopefully they'll have room.
I think your missing the bit many women do not realise the immune system is suppressed in pregnancy.

I learned the hard way, family called for, left sitting in a room praying I would respond to antibiotics.

Then the worry what all the drugs, antibiotics, antivirals have done to your baby.

Chasingaftermidnight · 02/12/2021 12:42

To be fair, I don’t think many pregnant women are unaware of these statistics or the advice to get their vaccines. You’d have to be living under a rock to have missed the messages from the Chief Medical Officer, RCOG and RCM.

RestingMurderousFace · 02/12/2021 12:42

When I went for my first dose there was a woman ahead of me in the queue quietly sobbing about the decision she was making. Felt like giving her a hug and telling her to go home. Awful decision to make in that situation but looking at these stats, it seems like the correct one.

AliceA2021 · 02/12/2021 12:42

You have every right to share it. It is sad and a dreadful shame that all of those in hospital might have done something to protect them and for various reasons didn't.

There are many reasons why pregnant women might not get vaccinated. Some might not be able to have the vaccine due to allergies or health reasons. Some are anxious that the vaccines will harm them even when existing evidence says safer than getting covid. Some might be scared of needles. Some might be unable to since partners/family are against. Some are conspiracy theorists and so far down the rabbit hole that facts don't reach them. Others don't believe in vaccination despite evidence. Other reasons no doubt.

RestingMurderousFace · 02/12/2021 12:43

She was pregnant ^

Original poster
reader12 · 02/12/2021 12:49

@XenoBitch good point, it's all been such a blur this year I forgot how recent the vaccines are. It feels like years already!

Just roughly eyeballing this graph, By the end of June around 60% of under 40s had had 1 dose and around 20% had two doses. The numbers went up from there. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55274833

So based on that info, the stats I shared first in this thread would be much more meaningful if they were looking at the numbers from July to October. Maybe I will slightly stop panicking. I do suspect the results will be similar though.

Of course by this time next year there will be loads more data and the picture will be much much clearer, but also by then lots more unvaccinated people will be dead.

OP posts:
BeardyButton · 02/12/2021 12:49

@21dolly

Interesting statistics.

When I was pregnant (Aug 2020 - May 2021) you wasn't allowed to get the vaccine if you were pregnant! Now I'm pregnant again and the advice has been to take the vaccineConfused the advice given isn't consistent and it's confusing!

I won't be getting the vaccine until after I've had the baby as I've done my research and have no clue how it could affect our unborn baby

@21dolly

When you say you ve done your research, what do you mean? Please take your advice from reputable sources. The Lancet and BMJ are fantastic for short, reader friendly overviews. Also places like the CDC (US) are reputable. Here is a link to research from CDC on increased risks of still births in women w Covid 19.

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7047e1.htm

It’s your body. You get to make up your mind. But pls..... when it comes to research all sources are NOT equal.

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/12/2021 12:52

The advice is going to continue to change as we learn more about this virus but for now it’s sensible to get vaccinated if your pg.

2022HereWeCome · 02/12/2021 12:53

I think more needs to be done to keep Covid out of hospital settings tbh. I am well aware that colleagues were asked to go into work despite having close family contacts living in same house with Covid. Staff working with pregnant women all should be LFT before they go on shift, not twice a week.There are too many hospital acquired infections generally.

Chely · 02/12/2021 12:53

What is unreasonable is trying to scare women in to doing something they are not sure of.

Inmypjsagain · 02/12/2021 12:53

Horrible stats.

One of the women in my NCT group caught covid in the last trimester, Had an early c section and was in hospital for the first month of baby’s life. She was unvaccinated, had the baby in July- at the start of the pregnancy the vaccine wasn’t recommended. I think this made many women very unsure. She has long covid now and she’s very vocal about pregnant women getting the vaccine, she sees herself as lucky she survived. She also has pnd because of missing that time with her baby (amongst other things im sure) I guess we don’t know the long term effects of the vaccine but know the serious effects of catching covid in late pregnancy. We also don’t know the long term effects of having covid either 🤷🏼‍♀️

Another baby in my nct group now has covid :( he’s doing ok but he’s only 4 months so very little to be so unwell

I was double jabbed during pregnancy and definitely felt I was judged for it but I was happy with the decision.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 02/12/2021 12:54

Can I ask then, why when I went for my second vaccine was I asked if there was any chance of me being pregnant?

Thefaceofboe · 02/12/2021 12:55

I got my first dose at 33 weeks pregnant as my midwife basically asked me how I’d feel if my baby was still born because I chose not to have it. Absolutely vile thing to say but I had it anyway as I was riddled with guilty over it and my head was all over the place.