MFM Physician Writes on COVID rates among Pregnant People

Sarah N. Cross, MD, an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and women’s health at the University of Minnesota Medical School and medical director of the Birthplace and Pregnancy Special Care Unit at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, writes on the high COVID rates among pregnant people in her article, "Opinion: Far too many pregnant people remain at high risk of covid-19. It didn’t have to be this way."

Dr. Sarah Cross

Dr. Sarah Cross

I’m worried about my pregnant patients. I have been from the beginning of the pandemic.

This is not just because pregnancy clearly increases the risk of hospitalization, need for mechanical ventilation and death from covid-19. It’s also because pregnant people remain largely unvaccinated — a direct result of bad decision-making to keep them out of vaccine trials. It’s time we change these policies and let pregnant people make decisions for themselves.

It has long been known that vaccines would be our only hope of ending the pandemic. And when one became available, doctors rushed to get vaccinated. In fact, more than 96 percent of us are fully vaccinated — including...READ MORE