Current COVID19 policies and updates
The City of Chicago is recommending that Illinois residents, use this link www.zocdoc.com/vaccine to register for a vaccine appointments.
Universal masking guidelines in accordance with current CDC recommendations
We are updating our universal masking guidelines in accordance with current CDC recommendations. Universal masking will be optional for all patients, visitors and staff during routine visits. Masks will continue to be required according to clinical policies, including:
*If the patient requests that that the staff members wear a mask during their visit.
*If the patient or provider have a severe immunocompromising condition
*If the patient has a respiratory illness.
*If you are concerned you may have been exposed to covid 19.
*If the community transmission of covid significantly increases, we may re-institute a mask requirement.
Please remember to call us before you come to the office for an appointment if you have any covid symptoms or have been exposed to anyone with covid.
As a reminder covid symptoms can include any of the following (even if only 1 symptom or only mild symptoms): fever, chills, cough, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, fatigue, body aches, headaches, shortness of breath, chest pain, loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
COVID-19 vaccine booster
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant and recently pregnant people up to 6 weeks postpartum receive the new bivalent omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine booster, as pregnant individuals are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection and certain pregnancy complications. Researchers have identified that the vaccine is 99% effective at preventing hospitalization. Data shows that COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective when administered during pregnancy. We at The Women’s Group of Northwestern strongly encourage our pregnant patients to be vaccinated and boosted, including with the new bivalent omicron-specific booster.
Obstetrical Patients with Covid Symptoms
We recommend a telehealth visit and appropriately timed testing for our pregnant patients with covid symptoms or covid exposure because the diagnosis of covid in pregnancy presents extra risks to the mother, the pregnancy and fetus. There are treatments and preventative measures that we would discuss during the visit. Even if you have done a telehealth visit previously, because covid information is continually evolving, we recommend a brief t/h visit to update you on any new information. Even mild symptoms typically associated with colds or allergies may represent covid.
Important to keep in mind:
1. Anyone vaccinated or unvaccinated who is experiencing any symptoms of COVID (including usual cold or allergy symptoms) must call and speak to Nurse Triage prior to coming in for their appointment.
2. Anyone vaccinated or unvaccinated who have been exposed to someone who is COVID+ must call and speak to Nurse Triage prior to coming in for their appointment.
Covid vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective in pregnant & lactating women. See the video below from The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Get your Recommended COVID-19 Vaccine During Pregnancy.
FEATURED CONTENT – CDC Recommends COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Women
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued recommendations on the vaccination of pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant.
As of September 29th the CDC and the Illinois department of public health are urging pregnant women to be vaccinated against Covid 19, see the link below:
Covid vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective in pregnant & lactating women. See the video below from the The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
1) What should I do if I am pregnant and having symptoms or have been exposed?
Call our office as soon as possible to schedule a telehealth appointment to discuss symptom management, preventative measures, possible covid treatments (which must be started within 5 days of symptom onset), and the timing of your visits.
Treatments are available for high-risk individuals, including pregnant women. They have both been shown to decrease hospitalization, IUC admission, need for a ventilator and death by 70-90%.
2) What are your office’s recommendations regarding the covid vaccine?
We highly recommend vaccination for everyone that does not have a contraindication (severe allergy). For pregnant and lactating people, we along with American College of Gynecology and Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine now officially recommend COVID-19 vaccination and appropriate boosters at any stage of pregnancy.
3) I am pregnant or breast feeding, should I get it?
Studies in pregnant patients have shown no safety concerns specific to pregnancy. The CDC, American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine all strongly recommend the Covid 19 vaccine for pregnant, lactating individual and those wishing to conceive.
The vaccines do not pose a risk to mother or baby because they are not live vaccines. The mRNA and DNA in the vaccines is quickly degraded by normal cellular function. The known risks of Covid 19 disease in pregnancy far outweigh any potential risks of the vaccine.
While the overall risk of severe illness is low, pregnant women have an increased risk of severe illness, hospital admission, ICU admission, need for a ventilator, as well as an increased risk of death. In addition, increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes have been noted, including preeclampsia, preterm birth, growth issues and stillbirth.
Other factors to weigh when deciding to get the vaccine while pregnant include the level of covid 19 transmission in our community, your personal risk of exposure to covid, any additional health issues you may have that might increase your risk of severe covid illness (age, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc). Evidence shows that both pregnant and breast-feeding women who receive the vaccine, pass the antibodies that they make on to their infants (through the placenta or breast milk) and these antibodies have been shown to protect the baby from covid in their first 6 months of life.
The following are links to information from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine:
ACOG and SMFM guidelines for pregnant women:
https://www.smfm.org/covidclinical
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/12/covid-19-vaccination-considerations-for-obstetric-gynecologic-care
4) I am eligible for vaccine. How do I sign up?
We are not able to order or administer the vaccine at this time
NM site with info on vaccination at NMH:
https://www.nm.org/conditions-and-care-areas/covid-19-resource-center/covid-19-vaccines
Walgreens, CVS and other pharmacies also offer vaccination and boosters.
5) Which vaccine should I get?
For adults ages 18 years and older, the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) are preferred over Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine. You may get J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations. If you have further questions speak to your provider at your next visit.
6) What are the usual side effects?
Pain/swelling in your arm, fever/chills, headache, tiredness Ok to take Tylenol or ibuprofen. Pregnant women should take Tylenol to keep temperature under 100 degrees.
7) What if I have allergies?
If you have had a severe allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine (there is a list on the CDC’s website) or had an allergic reaction to the first vaccine, do not proceed with vaccination, without first speaking with your primary doctor.
A severe allergic reaction is anaphylaxis which includes swollen throat or tongue, difficulty breathing, or hives.
If you have a had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable medications, you may still elect to receive the vaccine after consideration of the risks. You may wish to discuss this with your primary care doctor or consider consultation with an allergist.
Allergies to other medications, foods, animals, latex, eggs, gelatin, or seasonal allergies are not considered a risk for covid vaccination.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/specific-groups/allergies.html
8) Does the COVID-19 vaccine cause infertility?
No, none of the currently available vaccines is linked to infertility.
Despite social media chatter, studies that have evaluated this have found NO link between any covid-19 vaccine and infertility.
Women should feel comfortable that this claim has no basis in science.
9) Can I get another vaccine at the same time as the COVID vaccine?
Yes it is safe to receive other vaccines at the same time as your covid vaccine.
10) Are the vaccines interchangeable?
You may receive a different mrna vaccine (pfizer/moderna) for your booster than for your primary series. If you had Johnson and Johnson for your primary series, the recommendation is to preferably receive one of the mrna vaccines for your booster due to their better coverage of the omicron variant.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines.html
11) Am I eligible for a booster shot?
Every one over age 6 is recommended to get an updated (bivalent omicron) booster whether or not they received the original vaccine series or other booster shots. Those who are over 65 or immunocompromised may get a second updated booster shot.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
12) If I had COVID or was exposed to the virus, should I still get the vaccine?
Yes, even those who had COVID-19 should be vaccinated once they are recovered. Studies have shown that the vaccine may provide better protection against the new variants than prior infection.
If you are acutely infected, you should wait until you have recovered to receive the vaccine.
If you are recently exposed or in quarantine, you should wait until the end of quarantine to avoid exposure to health care workers.
13) If I had COVID or was exposed, do I need to get blood work done to look for antibodies before getting the vaccine?
No, there is no need to evaluate for antibodies before vaccination. It is also not recommended to check antibodies after the vaccine.
14) If I have medical conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, should I get the vaccine?
Yes! These medical conditions may result in a more severe infection with COVID-19, so it is important to get vaccinated.
15) If I am immunocompromised, should I get the vaccine?
Yes! Vaccination may provide key protection against the virus in those with suppressed immune systems. Immunocompromised people are more likely to get severely ill from covid 19, are more likely to get a breakthrough infection and are more likely to transmit to household contacts. The COVID-19 vaccines do not contain live virus.
Studies of immunocompromised people have shown that they may not build the same level of immunity in response to the vaccine compared to people that are not immunocompromised, however most immunocompromised people will have some protection from the vaccine. Data shows that a third vaccine and 2 additional boosters can improve the response in immunocompromised people.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html?s_cid=11707:covid%20booster%20immunocompromised:sem.ga:p:RG:GM:gen:PTN:FY22
Guidelines have been developed regarding the use of immunocompromising medications in the time around the vaccine; please discus with your doctor who prescribes your medication.
16) Does the COVID-19 vaccine cause Bell’s palsy?
Studies have shown no significant difference in reports of Bells palsy among those that received that vaccine versus placebo.
17) Will the vaccine cause male pattern hair growth?
No, there is no evidence the vaccine causes women to grow beards or mustaches. In contrast, COVID-19 illness has been linked to hair loss. Thus, vaccination will not increase undesired hair growth and may prevent undesired hair loss from COVID-19.
18) How do I know if symptoms after vaccination are due to the vaccine or COVID-19 infection?
Signs and symptoms unlikely to be from COVID-19 vaccination include: Cough, shortness of breath, rhinorrhea, sore throat, loss of taste or smell.
Signs and symptoms that may be from either COVID-19 vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 infection, or another infection include: Fever, fatigue, headache, chills, myalgia, and/or arthralgia.
