Troubling spike in pregnant women dying of Covid – 40% of deaths among expectant moms occurred in last four months
NEWLY released CDC data has shown a spike in pregnant women dying of Covid in recent months.
Forty percent of the total number of pregnant people who have lost their lives to Covid throughout the pandemic have died in the last four months, the agency states.
The deaths include a woman who never had a chance to hold her newborn and a mother who died after an emergency c-section when she was hospitalized with Covid.
It came after the delta Covid variant became a dominant strain of the illness in the summer and as the omicron variant is currently making its way across the world.
It also came amid vaccine hesitancy, despite data from the UK showing 98 percent of pregnant women who were hospitalized with Covid were unvaccinated.
The vaccines authorized in the U.S. have been shown to be safe, and significantly reduce the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalization and death from the disease.
And as anti-vax myths circulate on social media, doctors have said that Covid-19 vaccines do not impact fertility or harm a woman’s unborn baby.
The CDC released new information regarding pregnant women with Covid across the US between January 22, 2020, and December 13, 2021.
Deaths among pregnant women spiked in August and September 2021 with 40 deaths in August alone.
September recorded 34 deaths among pregnant women, followed by 21 deaths in October.
According to the CDC's findings — collected from 151,354 women dating back to January 2020 —the total number of deaths among pregnant women is 249.
The data reveals more than 40 percent of those deaths took place since August 2021.
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The number of hospitalized cases among pregnant women during the same time frame reached 25,578.
It appears through the data that the number of ICU admissions among the pregnant population spiked in the summer as well.
In July 2021, ICU admissions totaled 41, followed by 60 in August and 29 in September.
However, the spike in ICU admissions this year wasn't nearly as much as in April 2020, when the number hit 92.
Additionally, there were more cases of pregnant women getting Covid between the ages of 25 and 34.
CDC Director spoke earlier this month to an ABC News' chief medical correspondent about her concerns as the omicron Covid variant continues to spread.
In a December 8 interview, Walensky said: "I can tell you, when I hear about a pregnant woman in the community who is not vaccinated, I personally pick up the phone and talk to them.
"It's just shocking."
The for pregnant people with Covid, but notes: "People who are pregnant or were recently pregnant are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 when compared to those who are not pregnant."
And: "People with COVID-19 during pregnancy are also at increased risk for preterm birth (delivering the baby earlier than 37 weeks) and stillbirth and might be at increased risk for other pregnancy complications."
Dr Laura Vricella told ABC News in August 2021 about the dangers of Covid in pregnant people due to their immune systems not being as strong.
Vricella said: "Covid-19 begins as a respiratory illness, but can affect the entire body and also seems to increase the risk of thrombosis or blood clots.
"We suspect that this decreased oxygen to the fetus may be responsible for the stillbirths that we are seeing, though we need further research."
But as of December 4, the has stayed below 40 percent — approximately 21 percent less than the general population.
And only around 20 percent of Black pregnant women are vaccinated.
Walensky has insisted "we have to do better" in regards to making sure pregnant people get vaccinated.
The CDC called for "urgent action" in September 2021, to get more pregnant, or recently pregnant people vaccinated. Including people who are breastfeeding or planning to get pregnant.
" either before or during pregnancy because the benefits of vaccination outweigh known or potential risks," the agency stated.
BATTLE LOST
Keighlie Renee Reaux, a 24-year-old unvaccinated mom, lost her fight with Covid on September 12, 2021
A for Keighlie, who never got to hold her baby son, reads: "Please keep Amie and Joe, Keighlie’s siblings, and her two precious sons who will never know their mommy in your prayers.
"They all gained an angel today, but have a long road ahead of them as their hearts are completely shattered right now."
According to the fundraiser page, Keighlie was diagnosed with Covid at 38 weeks pregnant.
After her July 26th Covid diagnosis, she had an emergency c-section on August 4th.
El Pasoan Aimee “Jaqueline” Ayala, of El Paso, Texas, passed away after giving birth to her daughter on November 13.
Aimee had an emergency c-section while she was hospitalized with Covid at just 8 months pregnant, reports.
And she also never got to hold her baby girl, something Aimee's sister Kimberly Ayala said was "the worst part."
A GoFundMe set up for Aimee by Kimberly explains how her sister was intubated 15 days after her daughter was born.
After getting intubated, Aimee was "pronounced brain dead, after 3 days in the hospital they unplugged her against our will," Kimberly explained.
"Just as she fought for the lives of babies outside the abortion facilities, although she could not hold her baby in her arms, she shows us the love of a mother for her baby," the GoFundMe reads.
'GREATER RISK OF COMPLICATIONS'
Dr Ruben Alvero, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford Medical School, told The Sun: “Getting the infection is worse for pregnant women than it is for the general population.
“They are at greater risk of complications of Covid than non-pregnant women. It’s bad that more people don’t know this.”
And, he warned, the new Delta variant means it’s even more important that everyone gets vaccinated.
“This new variant is horrific - it’s worse than anything we’ve seen before,” Alvero added.
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“It really is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.
"There is no harm in taking the vaccine, there is a lot of benefit in NOT getting Covid.”
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