How safe is the Covid-19 jab for pregnant and breastfeeding women?
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are encouraged to get the Covid-19 vaccine  South Africans between the age of 35 and 49 will as of Thursday 15 July be eligible to register to receive the Covid jab  Women should preferably wait until fourteen weeks of the pregnancy before getting the jab   sosiukin/123rf.com  South Africans between the age of 35 and 49 will as of Thursday 15 July be eligible to register on the governments Electronic Vaccination Data System, enabling them to receive the Covid-19 jab. This cohort, comprising of about 7 million people, would also most likely include women who are pregnant, or breastfeeding. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a pregnant or recently pregnant woman is more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant women. The CDC therefore recommends that getting a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy can protect a woman from severe illness if she contracts the disease. The CDC adds that contracting COVID-19 during pregnancy puts a woman at increased risk of preterm birth and other adverse outcomes. Professor Barry Schoub, chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 vaccines is also urging South African women to get vaccinated. RELATED: [[WATCH] How to register for your Covid-19 vaccination #TakeYourShot]](https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/416343/how-to-register-for-your-covid-19-vaccination-takeashot)  Pregnant women always need to consult their doctors. But in general terms, people are variable, some may have some underlying diseases which may be a problem. But generally speaking, we do strongly advise pregnant women to be vaccinated. Professor Barry Schoub - Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 vaccines  There is a cautionary note in the official recommendation to preferably wait until fourteen weeks onwards. Certainly women that are nursing and breastfeeding, there's absolutely no reason not to get vaccinated. Professor Barry Schoub - Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 vaccines  RELATED: Vaccinations for 35-49 age group begin in August  The reason why we say that they should get vaccinated, is that the disease (Covid-19) itself can cause problems in pregnancy. Healthy women, it's unlikely that they're going to get very sick, but there is a greater danger of hospitalisation if pregnant women do get the Covid disease. On the balance of risk, it is much better to get vaccinated. Professor Barry Schoub - Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 vaccines  Scroll to the top of the article to listen to the interview