An unvaccinated California woman has lost her baby and is now on a ventilator fighting COVID-19.
According to NBC Los Angeles, Esmeralda Ramos, 43, her husband Juan Guevara and their oldest son contracted COVID last month.
Ramos’ husband and son had mild symptoms but she began complaining about muscle pain and headaches. Her back was hurting and she had started coughing. She was worried about her baby, due in November, and so she drove herself to the hospital, The Washington Post reports.
Her condition worsened and she was placed on a ventilator. Guevara was informed on Sunday that doctors could no longer hear the baby’s heartbeat.
“When I got to the hospital on Sunday afternoon unfortunately they told me he had passed away,” Guevera told the Washington Post.
Ramos delayed getting the vaccine because she thought it could hurt her baby, while Guevara chose not to take the vaccine because he did not want to get sick.
“She’s a nervous person. She was scared of getting it, thought it might affect the baby,” Guevara said. “I heard stories people would get sick after the first shot. I just didn’t want to get sick, that’s it.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women and their babies.
“Data suggest that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy,” the CDC says. “Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19.”
Guevara says he regrets not getting vaccinated and urges others to take the vaccine.
“Unfortunately right now it’s too late for me. I already lost my son. I am going to go get vaccinated,” he said.
