OB-GYN group makes vaccine recommendations for the first time

A prominent OB-GYN group announced vaccine recommendations on Wednesday that differ from what the U.S. government advises.

The immunization schedule is specifically for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women. It aligns with prior recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before changes were made under the Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Earlier this year, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists withdrew from a CDC advisory committee on vaccines because of those changes, which have spawned legal challenges.

“So now for the first time, ACOG has made the decision to formally release its own immunization schedule to provide and communicate clear evidence-based guidance and to address the growing vaccine misinformation that is circulating,” said Dr. Christopher Zahn, the OB-GYN group’s chief of clinical practice.

The new schedule has been endorsed by 13 other professional and medical societies. Some other groups, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, have also put out vaccine schedules this year that differ from the CDC’s.

Here’s what you need to know about the OB-GYN group’s advice.

What does the OB-GYN group advise?

Four immunizations are routinely recommended during pregnancy:

— The flu vaccine, which can be taken any trimester, at any time of year, although it’s best to get it in early fall.

— The COVID-19 shot, which can be taken during any trimester at any time of year, although it’s best to receive it as soon as possible during pregnancy.

— A tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) shot, preferably as early as possible between 27 and 36 weeks.

— A respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy in your first pregnancy, during September through January in most parts of the U.S. If you had the RSV vaccine during a previous pregnancy, you do not need to get it again, the group says, but your baby should get an antibody shot after birth. Your baby can also get that shot instead of you receiving the maternal vaccine.

Other vaccines –- pneumococcal, meningococcal, hepatitis A and hepatitis B –- may be needed for women with certain risk factors. The group recommends talking with your doctor about them.

Three others are recommended before pregnancy or after birth, protecting against human papillomavirus; measles, mumps and rubella; and chickenpox.

How do these recommendations differ from CDC advice?

The biggest difference involves the COVID-19 vaccine.

Last May, Kennedy announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy pregnant women and children — a move immediately questioned by several public health experts.

Spokespeople from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Are health care providers seeing pushback on vaccines?

Yes. Several spoke at an event announcing the new guidelines.

“Vaccine hesitancy is huge in this country right now,” said Carol Hayes of the American College of Nurse Midwives. “Patients come in all the time saying I’ve done my own research, and sadly, they’re doing research and they’re getting information that is not scientifically based.”

Sarah Vaillancourt of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health said her organization’s members are seeing much the same. Some of the confusion is being fueled by social media, she said.

In such a landscape, she said, it’s “really useful” for the OB-GYN group to provide accurate information for patients.

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