Health officials say pregnant women should get COVID-19 vaccine

(CNN Newsource) - Pregnant women should be vaccinated against COVID-19.

That's according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, two leading organizations representing obstetricians.

In a statement, the associations say their recommendations "reflect evidence demonstrating the safe use" of the vaccines from "tens of thousands of reporting individuals" over the last several months.

They also cite the rising number of cases and low vaccination rates across the country, as well as data that have shown pregnant women have an increased risk of severe complications and death from COVID-19.

But according to the CDC, only 16% of pregnant women have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.