What are pregnant women meant to do after July 19th?

[Narwhalsh]

Just that really. If you don’t have both doses of vaccine are you planning on getting on with life as much as you can or are you planning on sticking with a more restricted lifestyle? And if you do have both doses, do you still feel vulnerable?

Are pregnant women still classified as clinically vulnerable?

I was 41 weeks pregnant when we went into the first lockdown back on March last year, I hadn’t been doing anything any different before lockdown - still going out etc etc and the risk then was as high as it is now. I really don’t think there’s a lot to worry about!

The numbers are a lot higher now! Your a lot more likely to catch it at the moment. The death rate is lower for the people that had the vaccine… March last year the numbers were pretty low too. It literally just come to
The country. You really can’t compare. 🤦🏼‍♀️

We were also looking out for each other then. Everyone is angry at the people more vulnerable now as we are stopping them living….

@Moominmiss contact your local vaccination centre and see if they will move it forward for you. I vaccinate at a centre in the north west and we have been bringing our pregnant ladies forward for earlier second doses. It's worth an ask. X

@Tinydancer321 you can be careful. Even though I've decided to have the vaccines I won't be going to any big crowded events, and my husband has moved his second dose forward so that he'll have the developed immunity when I get to that stage. I'll probably avoid soft play with my toddler too etc.
I don't think people are angry with the vulnerable. Look, everyone's had a rubbish 18 months. I think its fine for people who are totally healthy to want to get back to living again. We can't live like this forever.

It's more helpful to hear from women who are currently pregnant tbh

@Narwhalsh I can't speak for @PurpleFlower1983, but where I am, midwives and doctors tend to give their own opinion - the midwife at my booking in appointment said she wouldn't get it yet, as did my GP, but my consultant and my midwife said to get it.

I know in some places they won't comment, but overall, they seem to give their opinion if asked.

I have a 13 day old. Had my first vaccination at 29 weeks (when it was still 12 weeks wait between the two doses) when I had my first dose, I spoke to the vaccine doctor and they agreed to bring the second dose forward to 6 weeks so I could have it before my c-section and have 2 weeks clear. I ended up having it at a 7 week interval as there was no appointments. Still had 2 weeks clear before my c-section.

My baby boy was born perfect at 38+6!

I really think those on here minimising the risks of Covid are probably those who haven't yet lost a loved one or friend and who don't yet know anyone with Long Covid. I say "yet" because once it happens in your circle, suddenly you jump from not knowing anyone like that to knowing a lot of people. I don't think the risks should be minimised. The risks to the child are quite high.

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-04-23-research-uncovers-high-risk-pregnant-women-covid-19

@Matilda1981

I was 41 weeks pregnant when we went into the first lockdown back on March last year, I hadn’t been doing anything any different before lockdown - still going out etc etc and the risk then was as high as it is now. I really don’t think there’s a lot to worry about!

@Matilda1981 With respect, but thinking that there isn't a lot to worry about just because nothing happened to you is the most unscientific, irrational approach ever. Instead, look at the actual research and statistics on the risks, which give evidence that the risk to the mother is greatly increased, as are the risks to the baby.

[quote Dalgleish]I really think those on here minimising the risks of Covid are probably those who haven't yet lost a loved one or friend and who don't yet know anyone with Long Covid. I say "yet" because once it happens in your circle, suddenly you jump from not knowing anyone like that to knowing a lot of people. I don't think the risks should be minimised. The risks to the child are quite high.

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-04-23-research-uncovers-high-risk-pregnant-women-covid-19[/quote]
I don't think people on here are 'minimising the risk' I believe they have read the research and statistics and have made their own informed decision based on this in the same way that you have. Just because someone does not agree with certain ways of thinking does not make them wrong. Everyone is entitled to an opinion whether it follows the masses or not.

COVID will always be something that is up for debate and the ways in which people deal with it will always differ, trying to justify a difference of opinion by assuming one does not know/lost someone due to COVID is not really the right way to go about things.

The thing is it’s a choice. It’s a choice to not have the vaccine and/or hide yourself away INCASE you get covid. And INCASE you are one of the vanishingly small number of unlucky few young and healthy people that happen to be very ill from it.

Actually some of us don’t have the luxury of shutting ourselves away anyway. I can’t go off work until 37 weeks and I can’t work from home. So I decided to have the vaccine and get on with my life, and also enjoy it and be as sociable as I can before my life changes forever with a tiny newborn baby.

Then again I’m lucky not to suffer with anxiety, and I’m lucky enough to be rational and to balance the risk with living life, and not get bogged down in the scaremongering tactics. So I’m grateful for that.

All third trimester women would be wise to follow the RCOG guidance and keep an eye on this

@MM1993, saying there isn't a lot to worry about, when the research clearly shows that risks are increased, is minimising the risks. People can choose to do whatever they like, but suggesting that those taking precautions are worrying excessively is, to my mind, minimising the risks that research has identified.

Well as apparently looking after your self works and being careful. My daughter has a kid in her class that has tested positive (they had to close the school as lots have it). So how can I stop her from catching it 🤦🏼‍♀️. Think we are just doomed to catch it third trimester. We would of been better mixing earlier and catching in earlier pregnancy. Government has well stitched us up.

@Tinydancer321 we are not all doomed to catch it third trimester at all!

Certain ladies are the one who have not had chance to have a vaccine yet! As it’s every where…… especially if you have school kids no getting away with it.
At the moment in my kids school 1 in 10 kids have it

The county is open and most people in their trimester are not fully vaccinated. Terrible timing for us. 2 months later may of been fine.

Schools will break up soon, many have already.

Pregnant women have presumably all been invited for the vaccine. I was able to bring my second dose forward by three weeks. I certainly don’t go about my business every day assuming I’m going to be unlucky enough to catch covid.

@Tinydancer321 - we are definitely not all doomed to catch it. Not every single person in this country is going to get COVID. Pregnant or not. Vaccinated or not.

I have chosen not to be vaccinated and I don't live my life with the assumption that I'm automatically going to catch COVID - if I did think like that, I'd end up hiding in my house forever and that's not doing anyone any good.

Also, if you did catch it you wouldn't necessarily be seriously ill so why live your life panicked by something that may never happen. Enjoy your pregnancy!

@Basil2021

mental health, people with other health conditions (NHS waiting list currently topping 5 million)

This is going to be made worse by reopening, not better. The reason non-COVID NHS services have been affected are because during huge waves of hospitalisation most NHS resources need to be diverted to COVID treatment.

Keeping numbers low would allow the NHS to focus on other conditions. Allowing it to grow means routine services are MORE likely to be disrupted.

I’m dreading it. I had my second vaccine on Tuesday 6.5 weeks after my first. I would have waited but wanted to be fully covered before it’s a free for all.

Dd2 is self isolating now. She’s in her room until her pcr comes back.

I’ll carry on wearing a mask everywhere, anti bac my hands and will pretty much stay home more then I do now which is a shame.

I’m not quite sure what Boris is trying to achieve.

@queenie273646

I don't have the vaccine not planning on getting it even after pregnancy and I can't wait for things to get back to normal. I don't have any fears of covid etc .

Same for me :)

Hi OP,

I’m in the US where things are a bit different. I’ve had both my Pfizer doses and a lot of things are now open and say you don’t need a mask if you’ve been vaccinated. However, we do have the Delta variant moving around here, especially in unvaccinated people.

I asked my doctor about and she advised to do things “as they were before.” In other words, if I’m outside, I don’t need to wear a mask. But if I go into a big store, I should wear one for extra protection.
I’m not really too sure how it plays into hanging out 1:1 with people. I do know a few folks who refused to get vaccinated, but most everyone else has. I think I would feel safe maskless indoors having, say, a vaccinated couple over for dinner. I don’t really want to hang out with the people who refused to get vaccinated (our country is nuts).

Pregnant women are definitely more at-risk, and not just for COVID. My friend had her baby in March 2020, and even before COVID, her doctor recommended that she wear a mask to protect herself from the flu, as it can be much more serious for pregnant women.

I’m fine with the whole thing… the week I went maskless, I honestly felt like a jerk!

@Basil2021

Oh I don’t dispute for a moment that the country needs to get back to normal as soon as possible. I’m just saying that all vulnerable groups should be double jabbed before that happens. That’s the rationale the government itself is giving for relaxing the rules. But the point is that they’ve forgotten a group. Out of pregnant women who have opted to receive the vaccine, I believe only 20% are double jabbed. The other 80% have only had one. Not because they’ve declined it but because they only became eligible a few weeks ago. Pregnant women were the only vulnerable group who weren’t prioritised.

So my main point is that the government’s own rationale for relaxing the restrictions aren’t correct. A group has been overlooked.

And the secondary point is that there’s greater vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women because there’s no clinical trial data saying it’s safe - and we’re so incredibly cautious about medicines in pregnancy otherwise. Different medical practitioners tell women different things. My midwife hub currently has a sign on the wall in the waiting room which says the vaccine isn’t recommended in pregnancy (I suspect the sign is outdated but it’s there nonetheless). Yes, there’s lots of very reassuring real-world data - thousands of women have been vaccinated in the US as you say. Yes, Pfizer is currently undertaking a clinical trial on pregnant women and the results should be ready by the end of the year. It’s clear that it is probably safe.

But put it this way, I’d be astonished if men were told to either get a vaccine which is PROBABLY safe for them (with no clinical data backing that up) or to shut the hell up.