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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

BBC article urging pregnant people to get the COVID jab

78 replies

lillg · 11/10/2021 18:18

The BBC are again urging pregnant women to get the COVID jab. Can anyone please point me to the research on which this news article is based?

I was concerned when I heard the headlines that 1 in 6 people needing the most intensive care were pregnant. But then I think they said that there were 118 people needing this care between June and September, of which 20 were pregnant? Did I miss-hear?

The message and the statistics don't seem to add up to me so I want to look at the original study and reach my own conclusions.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 11/10/2021 18:21

20/118 is around 1 in 6 though

Karwomannghia · 11/10/2021 18:24

My friend who’s a midwife … said that covid is rife in unvaccinated pregnant women and some are becoming very unwell and it’s leading to babies’ deaths. It’s a worldwide problem. I can understand women being cautious about being vaccinated when pregnant as you get anxious about everything but it’s a big problem apparently.

SylvanasWindrunner · 11/10/2021 18:26

Of the 20 pregnant women needing ECMO, 19 were unvaccinated, and 1 had received a single dose.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/11/one-in-six-most-critically-ill-patients-are-unvaccinated-pregnant-women-with-covid

SylvanasWindrunner · 11/10/2021 18:28

The statistics are NHS England ones. They publish them on their website so you'll likely find them there.

tiggerwhocamefortea · 11/10/2021 18:30

I know several ICU nurses and doctors and all saying the same things - disproportionately high numbers of pregnant women in intensive. The poor lady in the ward with me in January died and never saw her baby. It's really not worth the risk

pianolessons1 · 11/10/2021 18:45

You want to reach your own conclusions yet you don't have the wherewithal to find the studies without resorting to MN?

flapjackfairy · 11/10/2021 18:49

My daughter is pregnant and having seen the news tonight I am delighted she had her second jab 3 weeks ago.

catinthehat12 · 11/10/2021 18:50

@dementedpixie

20/118 is around 1 in 6 though
Yes exactly what I was going to say. Those stats do add up.
CTR1000 · 11/10/2021 18:50

The 1 in 6 statistic refers to ECMO (extra corporeal membrane oxygenation) - really the most intensive form of intensive care.

We’re also seeing high hospital admission rates in unvaccinated pregnant women, particularly in the 3rd trimester. Many of these women have required intensive care.

It’s a scary disease for some pregnant women. Would absolutely advocate vaccination. I’m 32 weeks now and have had all 3 of mine…

potter5 · 11/10/2021 18:51

Pregnant people?

flapjackfairy · 11/10/2021 18:54

And op what agenda would the bbc have on this issue to put out fake news exactly. ?

Original poster
lillg · 11/10/2021 18:55

Thanks all but from what I can see all of the links provided so far are to articles and not to the research statistics. I've also looked on the NHS England website but again can only see articles and not the research itself.

I've worked out that the data is based on people who needed the use of a specialist machine (as they were too ill for ventilator to work) And between June and Sept 118 needed use of this machine of which 20 were pregnant.

What I can't work out is did only 118 need use of this machine in 3 month in the UK? Or Have they just looked at one machine or one hospital? Does the data need extrapolating?

I'm not looking to convince pregnant women to have or not have the vaccine, and I'm not looking to be convinced myself. I'm just looking for the data, as this is how I make any important decision in my life.

OP posts:
JaniceBattersby · 11/10/2021 18:57

This is the original press release that came from NHS England. Lots of info here about the stats and where they came from (PHE)

BBC article urging pregnant people to get the COVID jab
BBC article urging pregnant people to get the COVID jab
JaniceBattersby · 11/10/2021 19:00

The data itself may not yet be publicly available.
It doesn’t sound like a dataset that is routinely published publicly and I’ve combed through a lot of Covid data during the past 18 months.

ohdeariforgot · 11/10/2021 19:04

UK obstetric surveillance system and MBRRACE provides data on covid outcomes in pregnancy.

ohdeariforgot · 11/10/2021 19:05

In summary.... get vaccinated!
The majority of deaths and hospitalisations from COVID in pregnant women are in unvaccinated women.

JessBe · 11/10/2021 19:10

These articles are referring to people needing ECMO which is way of trying to keep people alive when they are too sick for standard ventilators in intensive care. Lots of hospitals in the UK have their own intensive care unit, but there are very few ECMO units. Looking after someone on ECMO is a lot more labour intensive and specialised than ventilation, and it can take months to recover enough to come off the machine so a small number of people will be on ECMO at any time. Only 118 people were on ECMO during the time you reference, but they are highly selective about who they take (based on who they think have a chance of recovering) so many more will have ‘needed’ this support.
Personally, I had the vaccine as soon as I could while pregnant, had no problems and have a healthy baby. From both my own experience in hospitals during the pandemic, and also the data now available I wouldn’t have any hesitation about recommending it unless there was a definite medical reason not to have it (eg allergy to a component of the vaccine)

ohdeariforgot · 11/10/2021 19:13

1st Feb 2021- 30 Sept 2021
1714 covid symptomatic pregnant women admitted to hospital
98.1% were unvaccinated

235 admitted to intensive care.

98.7 % were unvaccinated

85% of the pregnant women who died were unvaccinated.

Sources given above

almaonao · 11/10/2021 19:18

@ohdeariforgot

1st Feb 2021- 30 Sept 2021 1714 covid symptomatic pregnant women admitted to hospital 98.1% were unvaccinated

235 admitted to intensive care.

98.7 % were unvaccinated

85% of the pregnant women who died were unvaccinated.

Sources given above

Yes but how many pregnant woman died???
WheelieBinPrincess · 11/10/2021 19:21

Pregnant WOMEN.

Only WOMEN can be pregnant.

ohdeariforgot · 11/10/2021 19:29

@almaonao
33 pregnant women died

Original poster
lillg · 11/10/2021 19:31

@JessBe

These articles are referring to people needing ECMO which is way of trying to keep people alive when they are too sick for standard ventilators in intensive care. Lots of hospitals in the UK have their own intensive care unit, but there are very few ECMO units. Looking after someone on ECMO is a lot more labour intensive and specialised than ventilation, and it can take months to recover enough to come off the machine so a small number of people will be on ECMO at any time. Only 118 people were on ECMO during the time you reference, but they are highly selective about who they take (based on who they think have a chance of recovering) so many more will have ‘needed’ this support. Personally, I had the vaccine as soon as I could while pregnant, had no problems and have a healthy baby. From both my own experience in hospitals during the pandemic, and also the data now available I wouldn’t have any hesitation about recommending it unless there was a definite medical reason not to have it (eg allergy to a component of the vaccine)
Thank you. This is very useful.
OP posts:
Arubaa · 11/10/2021 19:33

There's only about 5 centres in the UK that do ECMO...and they've all seen an increase in pregnant unvaccinated women. About 30% lose their babies and others are born very premature. Please get your vaccine, these are some of the saddest cases we see.

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