Bantry GP: I worry about my unvaccinated pregnant patients

Dr Laura Cullen said she sees “a bit of fear in the community” now as higher risks of hospitalisation or severe illness for pregnant women from Covid-19 become known.

A Bantry GP specialising in women’s health has admitted her unvaccinated pregnant patients are those she worries most about now.

Dr Laura Cullen said 50% of her pregnant patients choose to be vaccinated — that's lower than the vaccination rate among her general patient population. The other pregnant patients are split evenly between being hesitant or not interested at all, she says.

“I work and live in a small community, I see my patients outside of work. I worry about my pregnant unvaccinated patients the most, they’re the ones that cross my mind lying in bed at night,” she said.

The GP sees “a bit of fear in the community” now as higher risks of hospitalisation or severe illness for pregnant women from Covid-19 become known.

“Women, regardless of vaccination decisions are anxious about that. The next issue then is are they going to proceed with vaccination or not?” she said.

Concerns include lack of information and fears for their baby. “They are communicating developmental concerns — that the vaccine would affect the development of the baby’s brain or the baby’s emotional or social development,” Dr Cullen said.

“My inkling is that could relate to the misinformation previously about the MMR vaccine and untrue claims that it caused developmental harm to babies.” 

Sharing information on why vaccines are only recommended after 14-weeks reassures some women. She said: “A lot of the organ development in a baby is complete at that stage." 

This week on social media, women and healthcare workers shared anecdotes about advice against vaccination from other health professionals.

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Dr Cullen said: “A patient of mine reported that she was told by a midwife not to have the vaccination and on further questioning, on the interaction she reported that the midwife said that we don’t know enough about the vaccination yet.” 

However in her experience this is not common. She encouraged women to seek a range of opinions, calling on healthcare staff to “listen and talk to patients individually and answer their specific concerns".

“That is the only way to go. At least patients feel heard and, in my experience, that builds trust regardless of their decisions.” 

Cork University Maternity Hospital has said up to mid-August 28% of pregnant in-patient partners were unvaccinated.

This reflects Dr Cullen’s experience also. “I don’t know whether it is to do with the fact they are younger so they haven’t completed their course, or whether there is hesitance in general in those age groups of young men,” she said.