CDC report shows staggering number of COVID-19 deaths in pregnant women

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new study by scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting a troubling trend in the number of pregnant women dying of COVID-19.

The agency attributes the rise to a highly contagious delta variant still sweeping the U.S. and vaccine hesitancy in this group.

Researchers tracked the COVID-19 mortality rate between January 2020 and December 2021. A total of 249 pregnant women died within in the study’s timeframe. Findings showed 40% of deaths occurred between August and November of this year. This equivalent to approximately 100 total deaths in this sub-population.

The CDC continues to strongly recommend COVID-19 vaccinations either before or during pregnancy as the benefits outweigh any known risks.