What is UP with COVID shots and pregnancy?!
Can't keep up because of our government's mixed messaging? I got you.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to dive into this topic because it really does enrage me. But after a week of seeing so much confusion out there, I decided to bite the bullet and tackle it. I hope you find this information helpful. If you do, please consider sharing it. So many people are feeling lost about where to turn for reliable information, and if you trust what I share, I’d be grateful if you could help spread it around (unlike COVID itself).
-Dr. Jen
What the F is going on with COVID vaccines and pregnancy?!
Other than a complete clusterf*ck of confusing messaging and non-science-based recommendations? Unfortunately, a lot. So here’s what you need to know, and what’s accurate as of June 4, 2025:
What happened?
In late May 2025, the federal government rapidly—and with no actual discussion with experts—changed COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for pregnant women and children. This was triggered by non-scientist, non-doctor, and known vaccine skeptic Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He announced that COVID vaccines would be removed from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women.
But wait, there’s more! Then the CDC quickly responded with updated guidance that went against Kennedy’s announcement for children. The CDC kept COVID vaccines on the child immunization schedule but changed the language from “should receive” to “may receive,” emphasizing shared decision-making between families and healthcare providers. They claimed it will help to “restore the doctor-patient relationship.” If I may be blunt, this is horseshit.
For pregnant people, the CDC’s new guidance changed to “no guidance,” effectively removing any official recommendation for COVID vaccination in pregnancy. Just ignoring pregnant women and leaving them out there in limbo just about sums up what this administration thinks of them, so I guess it’s on brand?
What is super fun is that it still says on the CDC website that pregnancy and COVID don’t mix. So this (true) information is still up, but yet they don’t want to recommend a vaccine that is safe to prevent it? Weird.
From the CDC website (Jan 20, 2025). We’ll see how long it takes for them to remove this factual information…
If you’re more of a visual learner, see the table below to understand what went down:
So what do real experts say?
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—the expert panel that usually makes vaccine recommendations—was bypassed in this process. They are not scheduled to meet on this issue until late June. And who knows if they will—RFK may cancel it.
Why did RFK skip this transparent panel and instead issue his own recommendations via a 58 second post to X (is this really where we are now, using social media to announce policy changes?!)?
Honestly: because he’s an idiot. I know that may sound “unprofessional”, but there’s no other way to put it. It goes completely against the supposed mantra of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement which allegedly values transparency—and yet they completely bypassed the opportunity for that.
So actual experts and doctors who care for pregnant people are crying foul and ringing the alarm for what this is going to do to our patients. You can read a response statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) here.
What does this mean for pregnant folks?
It means things are about to get really confusing and potentially very expensive. Because there is no official CDC recommendation for a COVID vaccine for healthy pregnant women, this can mean:
Insurance may not cover the cost of the vaccine, which can run about $200 (vaccine + administration fee).
In turn, clinics and hospitals may not stock them—making them harder to find for people who want them.
Confusion that these changes came about because of vaccine safety in pregnancy will almost certainly mean less pregnant people will choose to get vaccinated.
Which will result in more of them getting COVID, which has been well-documented (thank you science) to be much worse in pregnancy. Think: sicker patients, ICU stays, preterm births, lifelong issues, deaths that could have been avoided, and more. Not very MAHA.
The bottom line for *you*
It’s your choice to get the COVID vaccine in pregnancy or not—it always has been. The unfortunate part is that for those who want the vaccine, it’s now probably going to be harder to find and potentially an expensive endeavor. This means those who already struggle to access healthcare will be hit the hardest, and will likely end up sick, hospitalized, and potentially with major complications because of these changes.
While I can’t give personalized medical advice to you, in general when it comes to this scenario I’d say the following:
Get vaccinated to protect yourself. We know COVID is no joke in pregnancy. This fall’s COVID vaccine will be the same as the one currently available, since what’s circulating hasn’t changed much. That means there’s no need to wait for an updated version of the vaccine. Since you can get your COVID shot anytime in pregnancy, you may want to consider doing it sooner rather than later in case insurance coverage starts to get sketchy.
Get vaccinated for your baby. If you do, your baby will be born with antibodies to COVID, which is freaking awesome considering they can’t otherwise get vaccinated for this under 6 months of age (and RFK may mess with their access over 6 months, too).
Infants less than 6 months of age are hospitalized for COVID at the second highest rate in the country (only behind adults >75). Why? Because they are born with no immunity and can’t get the vaccine until after 6 months. The hack is to get antibodies while in the uterus!
Set aside funds. If your insurance decides not to cover the vaccine and money is tight, consider saving a bit now for when it’s time to get it. You could even add it to your baby registry—because yes, only in America does that sound like a normal way to afford the healthcare you need…
Stay tuned in late June. We will see what the ACIP recommendations say and how that might change current CDC recommendations. It’s entirely possible RFK may cancel this meeting, so I’m holding my breath until it actually happens. I’ll be sure to keep you posted.
Feel free to share this on your socials!
Q&A: COVID vaccine edition
I put out a call on my Instagram stories for what you most wanted answered on this topic, and here are a few that were asked over and over again:
Any trimester! It’s not advised to wait—and in fact, getting it ASAP (since the fall’s COVID vaccine won’t change from our current one) before insurance coverage drops or it becomes hard to find is not a bad idea at all.
Yes. It is still on the market. Now how it plays out—if your doctor will stock it, or if a pharmacist will require a special prescription or will give you a hard time, or if it will be hard to find—remains to be seen. And as I mentioned above, it may not be covered by insurance (we just don’t know yet, but insurance companies tend to be pretty evil and stop covering things that aren’t recommended explicitly), so it might run you about $200.
Hopefully your doctor or midwife has a clue/recent memory of COVID and pregnancy and doesn’t act as a barrier, but if they do: (1) consider a new provider who practices evidence-based medicine, and (2) print out and bring in the ACOG statement I linked to above and state that you want it. If they resist, please oh pretty please let me know…
I don’t think you can do anything more than sharing your recommendations and your concerns (especially if they are a higher risk group like people with asthma, diabetes, or heart disease). People will make their own choices, and sadly with so much politically motivated misinformation it can be hard to move the needle. Just try to establish trust, lead with your values, document your conversations, and let them know you’re always here if they change your mind. And if they say during the conversation that COVID is fake or something like that, you have my permission to leave the clinic and go into your car and scream for a few minutes before seeing your next patient.
Want to get your question answered in the BBC newsletter? Send me a message and I’ll incorporate them into future newsletters! *no personalized medical advice*
Spotlight on: Your Local Epidemiologist
I want to share a Substack I love because it gives me the info I need without feeling overwhelmed: Your Local Epidemiologist. Written by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina who is an expert in epidemiology and public health communications, it’s the weekly newsletter I read to get caught up in all things outbreaks, vaccines, debunking health misinformation, CDC updates, you name it. I could not recommend it more highly if you want a trusted source to inform and reassure you in these wild times. Please subscribe and give her a follow!
I hope this newsletter brought some clarity and cut through the noise that’s out there right now. I promise to keep you updated and will always prioritize facts over fear and ideology. Found this useful? Please share and subscribe, and help get the good info out there!
Until next time,
Dr. Jen