New Mom Talks About Why She Got Vaccinated Against COVID-19

Since the beginning of the August, the CDC has urged for people who are pregnant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. 

News 9 spoke with a woman who got the shots even earlier to give her and her baby protection from the virus. 

The second-time mom is also a postpartum nurse at Mercy Hospital and said the COVID vaccine is now like any other kind of vaccine pregnant women are encouraged to get.

"The TDAP. Moms are requested to get it while they're pregnant so the babies can get the antibodies. So why wouldn't I get the COVID-19 vaccine to give Charolette everything she can have to protect herself when she comes out?" said Sierra Lacey, who recently gave birth.

CDC began to encourage pregnant women to get their COVID vaccine on Aug. 11. Lacey got her shots earlier this summer to protect her and the newest member of her family, but not everyone in her household has the option to get the protection.

"I do feel sorry for my other son, because he is 22 months and he didn't get those antibodies and there is no vaccine," Lacey said.

"I'm more nervous recommending a woman take a birth control pill, which I do on a regular basis cause I think is has more risks," said Mercy OBGYN Dr. Darren Goff. 

Goff was also Lacey's OBGYN for her recent pregnancy.

Per the CDC, there are about 178,134 women expecting in the U.S. and about 24% of them have had at least one dose. That works out to 42,574 pregnant people with at least one dose. 

Also, a concern to doctors is that while pregnant, a woman is also more likely to have severe COVID-19 symptoms than someone who isn't pregnant.

"In pregnancy, your lung capacity is decreased. 1% at any given time of the population is pregnant; but 6% of deaths that happen with the flu are in pregnant people. So, you have a six-fold chance of dying if you get the flu," Goff said.

One woman and her unborn child in Oklahoma City have died from the virus. 

Goff said she was at 31 weeks and was a patient at OU Medical Center. 

Mercy has seen multiple pregnant patients on ventilators.

Goff said a pregnant woman at Baptist had such severe COVID symptoms, she was put on the heart and lung machine.

If parents do test positive at delivery, Goff said no one's baby will be taken away and quarantined, but parents will have to wear masks.

"That's not really the kind of maternal bonding I want," said Lacey. "I want to look at her face and her to look at my face and see my face and be able do to skin to skin and breathe on her and kiss her and do all the fun things."

People who breastfeed are also encouraged to get the vaccines as the antibodies will pass through the breastmilk to the baby.