The union ministry of health on Friday officially approved the vaccination of pregnant women against Covid-19 for which they can register on CoWIN or walk-in to the nearest Covid-19 Vaccination Centre (CVC).
The health ministry has accepted the recommendations of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) and has approved pregnant women to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
This decision has been conveyed to all the states and UTs to implement it under the ongoing National Covid Vaccination Program, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.
Pregnant women, who want to get vaccinated, can be inoculated with Covid-19 vaccines available in the country any time during their pregnancy at the nearest government or private vaccination centre after registration on CoWIN or by walk-in registration at the nearest centre, it further stated.
Meanwhile, the procedures and methods like registration, generation of certificates after vaccination etc, are the same as for any beneficiaries above the age of 18 years under the Covid-19 vaccination programme, it added.
NTAGI Chairperson Dr NK Arora explained that the increased mortality of pregnant women during the second wave of COVID-19 has led to this decision. “Under such a situation, it was felt that pregnant women should also become beneficiaries of the COVID-19 vaccine. In case of pregnant women, it involves the safety of two lives – the mother and the child in her womb. Hence, the country has decided to vaccinate pregnant women,” he noted.
Arora added that mothers will benefit more from the Covid-19 vaccine and they would remain free from fear and anxiety about the virus.
Earlier in April, Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Society of India had recommended that obstetricians and gynaecologists and women’s healthcare providers should be permitted to give Covid-19 vaccines to pregnant and breastfeeding women with preparations to manage adverse events.
However, they had said that individual practitioners cannot advise vaccination to pregnant and lactating women in India until there is a change in recommendations from the MOHFW, GOI.
