25 News recently reported on the death of two unborn children who died from COVID-19. This news raises the question "Is it safe for pregnant women to get the vaccine?"
According to an announcement on Tuesday by The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, the fetal deaths occurred in the month of July.
The mother was positive for COVID-19 during her pregnancy and has recovered since.
“Pregnant women with COVID-19 are at increased risk of preterm birth and miscarriages,” Local Health Authority Dr. Farley Verner said in Tuesday's release. “Pregnant women or women of childbearing age and those breastfeeding are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their babies from COVID-19.”
For mother Sydney Versteeg, preparation is underway. She is currently 30 weeks pregnant with a baby girl on the way. An exciting time in her life met with challenges as COVID-19 continues to spread. She was left with a choice.
"I got vaccinated 15 weeks and [at] 19 my second dose," Versteeg said. "There's always that concern in the back of your head saying 'Will I be okay?"
Kelly Craine with the district said she agrees that the vaccine is safe for pregnant women.
"We've seen the data, we've seen the results," Craine said. "The CDC put out data saying it is safe and strongly encouraged."
Many are choosing to not get the vaccine. Some said it hasn't been tested enough and the data is bare.
For Versteeg, when making the decision she spoke with her doctor and her mother. Her mother is a nurse at Baylor Scott & White in Temple.
"[She was] seeing pregnant people going in there super sick on ventilators, and I didn't want to see myself in that situation," Versteeg said.
As more women continue to decide what's best, Craine recommends thinking about this from a mother's standpoint.
