An entire population of adults has not been accounted for when it comes to administering COVID-19 vaccinations. Pregnant women, who are at higher risk of severe illness if they contract the virus, were excluded from vaccine clinical trials, and now there is debate and concern about whether or not they are safe for expecting mothers.
March of Dimes CEO Stacey Stewart said the exclusion of pregnant women in vaccine testing is an outdated process and a roadblock for the advancement of science.
"It's 2021, we need to take a more modern approach to how we advance science, especially as it relates to pregnant women [and] to newborn babies," Stewart told Cheddar. "At the March of Dimes, we've been a long advocate for newborn screening for all the things that would help us to make sure that moms and babies are protected,"
While the CDC and the World Health Organization both agree that patients should consult with a doctor to make the best decision for themselves and their baby, the impact of the vaccines, particularly the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccines that do not use the live version of the virus, on pregnancies is unknown. So far, both companies are monitoring women who became pregnant after getting vaccinated.
According to Stewart, the fact that the Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines do not "influence or alter the DNA" signals that they would be a safe option for pregnant women to consider.
"What we are saying at the March of Dimes is consult your health care practitioner," she said. "But by all means, know that as a pregnant woman you are at potentially higher risk of severe illness if you contract COVID-19, so we would certainly recommend that women give serious thought to receiving the vaccine when they're able to."
Last week, NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said of the more than 10,000 pregnant women that have been vaccinated, no major incidents have been reported, which Stewart said is a good indicator of safety.
"If a woman is at high risk, is an essential worker, is at high risk of being in contact with someone that has COVID-19, is at high risk herself of severe illness because of comorbidities, please consider the vaccine because it could save your life. It could save the life of your baby as well," she noted.
Tesla is making big cuts to its solar business. According to a Reuters report, the company will close 12 solar installation facilities across several states. Tesla bought SolarCity more than two years ago for $2.6 billion.
Chipotle is giving its menu a makeover. The company is experimenting with five new menu items at its test kitchen in New York, including quesadillas, nachos, and chocolate milkshakes. Chipotle plans to roll out these items nationwide in the coming months.
Thrive+ binds to the same brain receptors as alcohol to combat the negative effects of drinking, says CEO Brooks Powell, who started developing the pills during his sophomore year at Princeton.
The Republican reiterated his cautious approach to legalization, despite momentum for more liberalization in a state with some of the most tolerant cannabis laws in the country.
A data breach on MyHeritage impacted more than 90 million users. David Nicholson, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Living DNA breaks down what precautions companies take in order to protect your information.
DNA testing service MyHeritage reported a data breach that gave hackers access to email addresses and passwords of over 92 million users. While genetic information wasn't exposed, Rob Verger, Assistant Tech Editor at Popular Science, says the incident serves as a reminder that "almost anything is hackable."
The dental start-up, which sells custom teeth aligners online, opened its first brick-and-mortar store to reach more consumers, says co-founder and CEO Nick Greenfield.
The company, which makes a FitBit-style fertility sensor, announced it will use the fresh capital to fill gaps in the market. "Women's health and women's health research has been underfunded for the last decade," says co-founder Lea von Bidder.
More than 9 million tons of unrecycled plastic waste ends up in the ocean every year, according to Jenna Jambeck, an associate professor at the University of Georgia and a National Georgraphic explorer. In its June issue, the magazine is trying to shine a light on the serious problem with a "Planet or Plastic?" initiative.
Stocks kick off the week with a rally after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the prospect of a trade war was "on hold" following an agreement to suspend tariff threats. Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveils details of the souped-up Model 3. President Trump is going after the FBI. Fortnite is launching on Android phones this summer.
Mike Massimino, the former astronaut who became the first man to tweet from space during one of his two space flights, says companies like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin are "the best hope we have for a thriving space program."
