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In 2020, approximately 2,962,052 or 4.0% of women of reproductive age (15–49 years) were pregnant at any point in time in the United States. BACKGROUND: Knowing the approximate number of women of reproductive age (ie, 15–49 years) who are pregnant at a point in time in the United States can aid in emergency preparedness resource allocation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a pregnancy estimator toolkit in 2012, which could be used to estimate the number of pregnant people in a geographic area at a point in time. This original toolkit did not account for pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation; however, an updated toolkit released by the CDC in May 2024 uses a ratio of live births to estimate the number of pregnancy losses before 20 weeks at a point in time for improved estimation of total pregnant people at a point in time. INSTRUMENT: We used the CDC's updated reproductive health tool, "Estimating the Number of Pregnant Women in a Geographic Area." EXPERIENCE: Using publicly available data for 2020, we gathered the necessary input values, including total births, fetal deaths, and induced abortions, and applied the equation available in the CDC toolkit to estimate the number of pregnant people in the United States at any point in time in 2020. CONCLUSION: In 2020, there were 75,582,028 women of reproductive age in the United States, and we estimate that approximately 2,962,052 or 3.9% of women of reproductive age were pregnant at any point in time in the United States [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report provides historical context and rationale for coordinated, systematic, and evidence-based public health emergency preparedness and response (EPR) activities to address the needs of women of reproductive age. Needs of pregnant and postpartum women, and infants—before, during, and after public health emergencies—are highlighted. Four focus areas and related activities are described: (1) public health science; (2) clinical guidance; (3) partnerships, communication, and outreach; and (4) workforce development. Finally, the report summarizes major activities of the Division of Reproductive Health's EPR Team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnant persons are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone, including pregnant persons. However, data are limited on the safety of bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. To evaluate and summarize reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national spontaneous reporting system, among pregnant persons who received bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. VAERS U.S. reports of adverse events (AEs) in pregnant persons who received the bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine from 9/1/2022–03/31/2023 were identified. Clinicians reviewed all reports and available medical records. AEs of these reports were compared with AEs reported to VAERS following monovalent mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccination in pregnancy. VAERS received 136 reports for pregnant persons who received bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine; 87 (64 %) after BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech), and 48 (35 %) after mRNA-1273 (Moderna); 28 (20.6 %) reports were classified as serious. The most common pregnancy-specific outcomes reported included 12 (8.8 %) spontaneous abortions (<20 weeks gestation), 6 (4.4 %) episodes of preterm delivery, and 5 (3.7 %) reports of preeclampsia. One stillbirth (≥20 weeks gestation) was reported. No maternal or infant deaths were reported. There were 6 reports of AEs in infants, which included 3 reports of admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit: two infants with low birth weight, and one infant with a patent ductus arteriosus and patent foramen ovale. Non-pregnancy-specific adverse events were mostly COVID-19 infection and systemic reactions (e.g., headache, fatigue). Pregnancy-specific conditions were reported less frequently after bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccination compared to monovalent mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccination (3rd and 4th dose). Based on this review of reports to VAERS, the safety profile of bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant persons was comparable to that observed for monovalent mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccination (3rd and 4th dose) in pregnant persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]