Pregnant Women Should Get COVID-19 Vaccine, and Local Hospital Recognized for Maternity Care
January 29, 2021Syracuse, NY – Medical professionals at St. Joseph’s Health are emphasizing the importance of pregnant women getting COVID vaccine. According to the CDC, pregnant women are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. In addition to increased risk of illness that results in ICU admission, pregnant women with COVID-19 might also be at increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
“While more research continues to be done on the effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy, we know the significant level of protection that the vaccine can provide,” said Dr. Eva Pressman, Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist for high-risk pregnancies at St. Joseph’s Health and Chair of The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The University of Rochester. “We are aware of the World Health Organization’s recent recommendation to withhold certain COVID-19 vaccines from pregnant women, but we do not agree. Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine continue to stress that both COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should be provided to pregnant individuals who choose to receive the vaccine.”
The obstetricians and gynecologists (OBGYNs) at St Joseph’s Health also encourage COVID-19 vaccination for postpartum women who are breastfeeding as well as women planning to conceive.
Dr. Pressman explains that the caution from the World Health Organization (WHO) is not due to any actual risk – rather, the caution from WHO is simply a result of pregnant women not having been included in the clinical trials for the vaccines.
Pressman said: “Woman who are, were, or plan to be pregnant can feel safe getting their vaccines and maternity care at St. Joseph’s Health, which has again received the Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care designation from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.”
St. Joseph’s Health was one of the first hospitals to receive the Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care designation in 2016. In 2020, the Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care Program was expanded beyond traditional outcome measures to include assessments of internal quality improvement, data collection and dissemination, and internal protocols that better address clinical quality and equity issues in maternity care.
“In this new evaluation cycle, facilities had to meet or exceed new quality measures and safety outcomes St. Joseph’s systems and protocols ensure we are providing the safest, high quality, evidence-based care to both mothers and babies,” said Heather Shimer-Bero, CNS, RNC-OB, C-EFM, Director of Women and Infants at St. Joseph’s Health. “We are proud to receive this designation to highlight the safety and quality of care given to our patients every day by the dedicated obstetrical team.”
New criteria for the Blue Distinction designation included race ethnicity data, maternal quality improvement programs, drills and simulations for adverse events, and dedicated protocols and procedures for the management of hypertension and hemorrhage.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, gene therapy, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery, substance use treatment and recovery, and transplants, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that, compared to other providers, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients.
About St. Joseph’s Health
St. Joseph’s Health is a regional non-profit health care system based in Syracuse, NY. St. Joseph’s has been an innovative leader in health care since our founding in 1869 as the first hospital open to the public in the city of Syracuse. Offering primary, specialty and home care, a Magnet-recognized hospital, and collaboration with community partners, St. Joseph's Health advances the well-being of the communities we serve through an expanding range of services to ensure our patients achieve optimum long-term health. St. Joseph’s is ranked by Consumer Reports among the top 15 heart surgery centers in the country, a designated Stroke Center and a U.S. News “Best Regional Hospital.” St. Joseph’s Health is affiliated with St. Joseph’s Physicians and is a member of Trinity Health. For more information on our founding Sisters of St. Francis including Saint Marianne Cope, our legacy and our innovations, visit www.sjhsyr.org/legacy.
About the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans. BCBSA provides health care insights through The Health of America Report series and the national BCBS Health IndexSM. For more information on BCBSA and its member companies, please visit bcbs.com. We also encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out our blog.
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