Jan 25, 2022 - Health

Pregnant Latinas face higher COVID threat

Marina E. Franco (Noticias Telemundo for Axios)

A woman wearing a medical mask gets a vaccine during an event to get more pregnant women vaccinated in Honduras — A woman gets a COVID-19 vaccine during an event for pregnant women in Honduras in August 2021. Photo: Orlando Sierra/AFP via Getty Images

Pregnant Hispanic women in the U.S. are 2.4 times more likely to get COVID-19 than other women, according to a study from Sutter Health. The nonprofit health care network is urging medical professionals to encourage more vaccinations for Latinas.

Why it matters: Pregnant people with COVID-19 face higher risks of maternal death and of premature births and stillbirths, research shows.

Only 42% of all pregnant people had been fully vaccinated in the U.S. until mid-January, according to CDC data. The rate was lower for pregnant Latinas (38%) and Black women (26%).
Women who contracted COVID-19 during their pregnancy were more likely to undergo emergency C-sections and be put on respirators, doctors told Axios.
Recovery requires time and physical therapy, making the first stages of motherhood even harder.

What to know: Groups like UnidosUS and the Kaiser Family Foundation are using bilingual videos and misinformation-debunking campaigns to encourage Latinas to get vaccinated.

Coronavirus vaccines are known to be safe before and during pregnancy, with no proven negative effects on fertility.
It is also safe while lactating, which carries the additional benefit of sharing antibodies with the baby through breast milk.

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Pregnant Latinas face higher COVID threat

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