CDC urges pregnant women to get COVID-19 vaccine after new safety data emerges

On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new evidence backing their urgent recommendation that pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to new safety data, 2,500 women had no increased risk of a miscarriage if they received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine before 20 weeks of pregnancy, the New York Post reported.

"The vaccines are safe and effective, and it has never been more urgent to increase vaccinations as we face the highly transmissible delta variant and see severe outcomes from COVID-19 among unvaccinated pregnant people," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

Those pregnant who become infected with COVID-19 are at a higher risk of severe illness in addition to pregnancy complications like miscarriage and stillbirths.

"Although the overall risk of severe illness is low, pregnant and recently pregnant people are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 when compared with non-pregnant people," wrote the CDC in updated guidance Wednesday.

"COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to get pregnant now or might become pregnant in the future," stated the CDC.

The CDC found no adverse pregnancy-related outcomes, that COVID-19 vaccines do not cause infection, including in pregnant people or their babies, and that vaccination of pregnant people builds antibodies that might protect their baby during their study.

According to CDC data, just 23 percent of pregnant American women have received at least one dose of the vaccine, compared to more than 71  percent of American adults.

The new evidence comes as the Food and Drug Administration is expected to issue their decision on whether or not to fully approve the emergency use authorized Pfizer vaccine.