An Oxford study, carried out in 41 hospitals in 18 countries, revealed that vaccines reduce complications in women and pregnant people against the Omicron variant of coronavirus, while unvaccinated pregnant women are at higher riskreported the Buenos Aires Ministry of Health.
Its about study “Intercovid 2022”published by the University of Oxford, in the scientific journal The Lancet, who evaluated the Impact of the Covid-19 Ómicron variant on maternal and neonatal outcomes.
The Buenos Aires Minister of Health, Nicolás Kreplak, shared the study published in The Lancet on his official Twitter account and remarked that “@BAProvincia was one of the first to vaccinate this population.
I share the paper published in @TheLancet which reveals that vaccines reduce complications in pregnant women and people and that unvaccinated pregnant women have higher risks. @BAProvince was one of the first to vaccinate this population. I open thread?
+ https://t.co/82wOuxhOBp pic.twitter.com/7SIQ1SyXpL
—Nicolas Kreplak (@nkreplak) January 19, 2023
“Since the beginning of the pandemic we have carried out a active surveillance in pregnant people with positive Covid. This strategy allowed us to detect that this population had greater complications than the non-pregnant positive one,” he highlighted.
He recalled that “with this evidence we work to vaccinate this population in a prioritized manner, starting in May 2021, being one of the first countries in the world to start vaccination and offer pregnant people the main mechanism of protection.
The researchers studied 1,545 pregnant women diagnosed with Covid-19, and 3,073 pregnant women not diagnosed with the virus, in 41 hospitals in 18 countries.
The results showed that pregnant people, vaccinated and preferably given the additional booster dose, were “adequately protected” against the symptoms and serious complications of Covid-19 Omicron, and had “very low risk” of admission to care units. intensive.
INTERCOVID-2022 was a large, prospective, observational study involving 41 hospitals across 18 countries.
4618 pregnant women were enrolled from Nov 27, 2021.
Learn more about the methods: https://t.co/q8IoMRUEmU
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) January 19, 2023
The Omicron variant during the pregnancy was associated with increased risk of maternal morbidityserious complications of pregnancy, and hospital and intensive care unit admissions, especially among symptomatic and unvaccinated women, and in particular, the risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure and signs of liver or kidney damage that can occur in women after the 20th week of pregnancy) increased among women with severe symptoms.
Obese or overweight women with severe symptoms had the highest risk of maternal morbidity and serious complications.
The Provincial Director of Gender Equity of the Ministry of Health of the Province of Buenos Aires, Sabrina Balañaexplained that this study “has a very important health value because it adds conclusive results to the evidence we had up to now, reinforces the importance of women and pregnant people being vaccinated against the coronavirus, since it shows the increase of severe morbidity in unvaccinated women and the efficacy of vaccination to protect against serious complications caused by Covid-19”.
“In this sense, it is important that we continue to protect pregnant people completing the recommended doses and reinforcements¨he remarked.
The global network of hospitals coordinated by the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute (OMPHI) conducted the study between November 27, 2021 and June 30, 2022, during which period Omicron was the predominant variant and the efficacy of the vaccine was evaluated against this variant.
The report argues that the mRNA vaccines were the most effective in preventing symptoms and serious complications from Covid-19 Omicron, although viral vector vaccines with a booster dose also provided adequate protection, for at least 10 months after the last dose.
For his part, he Professor of Perinatal Medicine at the University of Oxford, José Villarco-director of the Intercovid 2022 study, stated that they have “provided robust and evidence-based information on the increased risk of Covid-19 Ómicron during pregnancy for severe maternal complications, especially among symptomatic and unvaccinated women.”
“Our study clearly indicates the need for a full vaccination schedule during pregnancy, and with a booster dose, to provide protection for at least 10 months after the last dose. Antenatal services around the world should strive to include vaccination against Covid-19 in the routine care of pregnant women,” he said.
Oxford University Professor of Fetal Medicine Aris Papageorghiou, co-director of the research, stated that “although the Omicron variant may be less harmful than previous variants in the general population, unvaccinated pregnant women worldwide remain at high risk of complications.”
“Since it is impossible to predict who will develop symptoms or serious complications, comprehensive and universal vaccination during pregnancy is required,” he said.
