Caring for COVID Positive Mother & Fetus Simultaneously a Challenge for Healthcare System
By Aaron Bonderson 
, Report for America Reporter/Producer Nebraska Public Media
Sept. 30, 2021, 4:32 p.m. ·
According to the CDC, 161 pregnant mothers in the United States have died from COVID-19, including 22 deaths in the month of August. The organization released a health alert Thursday urging women who were recently pregnant, are pregnant, or going to be in the future to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Dr. Sean Kenney is a Specialist in Maternal Medicine at Bryan Health in Lincoln and said their hospital is getting overworked.
“I mean, if you look at our pulmonologists in our nursing units, and how busy people are and their just exhausted of taking care of people that have basically decided to be a drunk driver and their just not going to listen to anybody,” he said, “and then when they get sick they’re going to come to the hospital, and that’s a real challenge, when you’re taking care of the baby, too.”
Dr. Kenney said vaccines have been used consistently to help protect pregnant mothers and their fetuses, such as the influenza vaccine. He said there’s no reason the COVID-19 vaccine would be any less safe.
Pregnant women and the fetus have reported health benefits and decreased health risks after getting the vaccine, according to the CDC. Pregnant mothers have an increased risk of death for symptomatic COVID-19 cases.