State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box is urging pregnant people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Box said she’s worried about the increasingly apparent harm the virus can pose to them and their babies.

Less than half of eligible Hoosiers younger than 50 are vaccinated against COVID-19. And Box is especially concerned about pregnant people because she said data “clearly” shows COVID-19 causes more serious disease in those who are pregnant as opposed to people the same age who aren’t.

“COVID-19 also increases the risk for poor pregnancy outcomes like stillbirth and preterm birth,” Box said.

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Box said pregnant COVID-19 patients are admitted to the ICU twice as much as those who aren’t pregnant and are nearly three times as likely to be put on a ventilator.

Box said the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for pregnant people. And she added that there’s no evidence it causes infertility in anyone.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.