CDC reports disparities in COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy

Only 11% of pregnant women in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccine Safety Datalink, which includes vaccine safety monitoring data from nine integrated health systems, were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by May 8, compared with 25% of non-pregnant women, the CDC reported today. Receipt of at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy was highest among women aged 35-49 years (22.7%) and lowest among those aged 18-24 years (5.5%), and higher among Asian (24.7%) and white women (19.7%) than among Hispanic (11.9%) and Black women (6.0%).

“These findings highlight racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage to date among pregnant women, who are at increased risk for infection and severe COVID-19-associated illness, indicating a need to prioritize vaccine equity by addressing potential barriers and access issues,” the authors said.