ARCHIVED - Valencia region recommends vaccination of expectant mums

The health department wants pregnant women to be immunised by the end of the second trimester in the region's three provinces, including Alicante

The Ministry of Health in the Valencia region is urging pregnant women to get vaccinated with the objective of ensuring they are fully immunised by the end of the second trimester.

"From this period on there is more risk of complications for both mother and baby if coronavirus is contracted", says the regional health department, which is also urging women who are breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant to get vaccinated.

Spain's Public Health Commission of the Interterritorial Council agreed on Wednesday to recommend vaccination of women in any trimester of pregnancy. This is the first time that the national government has made an official announcement on the matter, but last week the regional Health minister in Andalucía urged pregnant women to receive their jabs and other regional health services have made similar statements.

Based on evidence available so far, it was agreed that "the vaccine prevents possible complications during pregnancy, especially if there are higher risk factors such as obesity, arterial hypertension, diabetes or preeclampsia".

Regardless of age, the vaccines used for pregnant women are Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.

"It is important that the people around pregnant woman are also fully vaccinated and that preventive measures are maintained, such as avoiding contact as much as possible, ventilating spaces, avoiding crowds, wearing a mask, keeping a social distance and washing hands frequently", adds the Valencia region's Ministry of Health.

IMAGE: Ministerio de Sanidad