Many areas are still unclear with the health pass. This tool, which should be implemented from July 21 in all places of culture welcoming more than 50 people, is a real headache for people whose vaccine is contraindicated, such as pregnant women …
Presented this Monday, July 19 before the Council of Ministers, the bill on new health measures should take effect in the coming days. The first stage begins this week. From this Wednesday, the majority of French people will have to bring a sanitary pass (QR-code or paper) to access the places of cultures bringing together more than 50 people. The health pass will extend in early August for planes, trains, long-distance coaches, hospitals, restaurants and cafes.
But many French people face new questions. This is particularly the case for pregnant women. A number of them are in early pregnancy and cannot be vaccinated. So, how do you get to a health facility if you don’t have an anti-Covid vaccine? Will expectant mothers have to undergo repeated PCR tests and take the risk of coming into contact with people who are sometimes symptomatic?
“Clarifications to come”
“For women who are in the first trimester of pregnancy, there will have to be adaptations“, indicates to 20 minutes Joëlle Belaish Allart, President of the National College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of France (CNGOF). “For everyone else, you need to be vaccinated as soon as you have the 12-week ultrasound. Covid-19 can be serious for pregnant women “, she adds.
Precisely, Gabriel Attal spoke on this subject on France Info this Monday morning. “Obviously, these particular situations will be taken into account ”, he stressed “In the coming days, clarifications will be given so that they are not penalized”, promised the spokesperson of the government.
Vaccination recommended from the 4th month of pregnancy
In France, the Haute Autorité de Santé recommends vaccination from the second trimester of pregnancy, i.e. from the 16th week of amenorrhea (no periods). Asked by France Info, Jacky Nizard, gynecologist at Pitié Salpêtrière (Paris) explains this protocol: “We avoid the first trimester, as with any other medication or intervention elsewhere in general, and we encourage patients to be vaccinated as soon as they are pregnant, so it’s easier”. Despite the recommendations, the risks are low according to the gynecologist, “Many women have been vaccinated without knowing they were pregnant, this is a risk-benefit ratio. If there is a fourth big wave, women will have to be vaccinated from the start of their pregnancy.”, he explains.
Protection for mother and newborn
According to the WHO, pregnant women are considered to be at risk of Covid-19. Respiratory disease can be dangerous for the body and the immune system which experience upheavals during pregnancy. A study published in April 2021 in the medical journal JAMA Network conducted among 2130 women confirms this risk for future mothers. In the same review, a study compared over one year two groups (one vaccinated and the other not) of 7,530 pregnant women in Israel. Researchers say the vaccine reduces the risk of infection and that no side effects have been reported.
Another study, this time published in the journal American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology states that the level of antibodies generated by the vaccine is similar in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Better yet, the researchers note that the antibodies inoculated by the vaccination pass through the placenta and offer protection to newborns.
