Mom Who Refused Vaccine While Pregnant Gives Birth While in COVID-Induced Coma

A mother from Arizona experienced severe symptoms of COVID-19 after she refused to get a vaccine while pregnant. Kassidy Hazelton, 37, had to give birth to her son three months earlier than her due date as she battled the deadly disease in a hospital in Tucson.

After going to a car dealership to buy a new vehicle, Hazelton contracted the virus in the first week of May, when she was five months pregnant. The mom didn't get the jab before this because she was fearful of its effects on her first pregnancy.

However, things turned for the worse when her temperature spiked and her COVID-19 symptoms affected her lungs. While in quarantine, her partner, Craig, also tested positive but had no symptoms of the viral disease.

Hazelton said that the doctors tried to keep the baby in her womb for as long as possible. However, when she didn't get any better, she was air-lifted to the Banner University Medical Center. They were concerned about the fungal infection in her lungs and her double pneumonia.

The doctors discussed the possibility of a lung transplant for Hazelton while the family decided on the baby's fate.

Best Chances of Surviving

According to the doctors, the mom or her baby would have better chances of surviving this virus if he's birthed via Caesarean section. Hazelton agreed to be in a COVID-induced coma and gave birth to Kash on May 31. Upon his delivery, the baby weighed just 2 pounds, 2 ounces, and has remained at the neonatal intensive care unit until August 20, his mother's original due date.

Fox News reported that the infant also required blood transfusion and frequent monitoring of his lungs since it's still underdeveloped due to his premature birth. The doctors also learned that Kash had heart murmurs and will still need treatments for this condition.

Meanwhile, Hazelton had to be in the hospital for seven weeks. She is currently getting counseling to help her process her near-death experience. While grateful that she recovered from the virus with the help of all her doctors, Hazelton admitted her mistake of not having a vaccine while pregnant.

Vaccine Safety for Pregnant Women

In July, two of the largest reproductive health groups in the U.S. recommended getting a vaccine while pregnant. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) released statements urging all eligible people to get vaccinated.

Before their official statement, both groups also said that doctors should not withhold the vaccine from their pregnant patients if they want to go through the process.

ACOG President J. Martin Tucker said that they based their recommendations after trials show that vaccines are safe for pregnant women. The studies also revealed that COVID-19 infection puts pregnant moms at risk of developing severe complications, hospitalization, premature birth, and pregnancy loss.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also stated the same risks and said that getting a vaccine while pregnant reduces these risks. Currently, pregnant women in the U.S. are given Pfizer, Moderna, or J & J vaccines.