Should pregnant women get the COVID-19 vaccine?

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Pregnant women aren't at any greater risk for catching the coronavirus, but they are at a greater risk for serious complications if they're infected with COVID19. Studies have shown they have a higher risk of ending up in intensive care and even on a ventilator.

The advice from experts right now is to talk to your doctor about getting the vaccine when its available if you you live or work where there is high virus activity or you have other medical conditions that put you at a greater risk for complications.

So far, experts say there are no safety concerns but there also isn't enough research.

In non-pregnant women, the vaccine appears safe and the two that are authorized right now, Pfizer and Moderna, don't contain a live virus so they're not thought to cause any pregnancy-related problems.

But the vaccines were not tested on pregnant women and further research is underway.

"Trials in pregnancy patients are ongoing right now, so I'm confident that by the time the vaccine is offered to the general pregnant population, we should have some data that will cover, reassure the pregnant patient," said Dr. Oluwatosin Goje, obstetrician at Cleveland Clinic.

Animal studies have not found any harmful effects of the vaccine on pregnancy.

But again, this is a conversation women should have with their OB-GYN doctors.

In the meantime, you want to make sure you are taking every precaution to protect yourself by wearing a mask, social distancing and limiting your activity outside the home as much as possible.