Politics in Medicine

When politics changes the recommendation, does the science change too?


That’s a question pregnant women should not have to ask.


This year, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued its own maternal immunization recommendations after stepping away from the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. The reason is simple: ACOG believes vaccination recommendations for pregnant women should continue to be based on the medical evidence, not political pressure.


As an OBGYN, I care about what protects patients and their babies.


Vaccines during pregnancy aren't a political statement. They are a medical decision based on decades of research and experience. Some vaccines protect the mother. Others provide antibodies that cross the placenta and help protect a newborn during those vulnerable first months of life.


The science doesn't suddenly change because Washington decides to changes its recommendations depending upon who is in office.


Pregnancy is already full of decisions. Women shouldn't have to wonder whether the medical advice they're receiving is based on the best available evidence or the latest political agenda.


My advice remains the same: talk with your own OBGYN. Ask what the evidence says, what the benefits and risks are, and what is appropriate for you and your pregnancy.


You deserve medical care based on science, the politics should be inconsequential.


#ladydocfolsom #ruthhaskinsmd #scienceoverpolitics #obgyn