A case for vaccinating adolescent girls for protection against COVID-19 during pregnancy and childbirth in resource-limited settings
Document Type
Article
Department
Obstetrics and Gynaecology (East Africa); Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had severe implications worldwide, including increased adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Vaccination is one way of protecting against these adverse health outcomes. However, in some low-resource settings, vaccine inequity has led to poor uptake of COVID-19 vaccination. There are very high rates of adolescent pregnancy in low-resource settings, which are likely to become even higher as we begin to see the full effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures, including school closures. Although the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in adolescents are debated, we propose that adolescent girls should be prioritised in COVID vaccination roll out in low-resource settings. This is to provide protection from severe COVID-19 disease in pregnancy, preventing adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
Publication (Name of Journal)
Gates Open Research
Recommended Citation
Blakeway, H.,
Hookham, L.,
Nakabembe, E.,
Koech, A.,
Khalil, A.,
Ladhani, S.,
Temmerman, M.,
Doare, K. L.
(2023). A case for vaccinating adolescent girls for protection against COVID-19 during pregnancy and childbirth in resource-limited settings. Gates Open Research, 7(13), 1-4.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_obstet_gynaecol/501