Pregnant Geeta says those shouldn’t risk vaccination, it’s safe but experts say

Even as the government allows vaccination for lactating mothers, and mulls whether pregnant women should get inoculated, hesitations persist. While experts are vouching for the shot, actor Geeta Basra is averse to the idea, reasoning that there’s not enough data to assess the safety of the unborn child and mother after the jab.

Despite that, Basra — who is expecting her second baby with husband, cricketer Harbhajan Singh — feels some doctors are recommending the shot and she finds it wrong.

“No government or organisation has granted approval to vaccinate pregnant women. My gynaecologist has told me not to get vaccinated,” shares the 37-year-old.

But it’s important for the immediate family to get the shot, so “there are less chances of her getting the virus”.

Basra, however, rues her mother’s inability to travel to India from London. “In such times, a girl needs her mother, so I’m sad about it,” she says.

While she is not in favour of pregnant or lactating women getting vaccinated, experts think it is safe. “No adverse effect of vaccination has been found in pregnancy, or on the breastfeeding mothers. The antibodies against Covid do pass through the breast milk, so, it gives passive immunity to the baby as well,” notes gynaecologist Sheetal

Kaushik.

My gynaecologist has told me not to get vaccinated.