Latest news with #SocietyofObstetriciansandGynaecologistsofCanada
Ottawa Citizen
20-07-2025
- Health
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa-based organization's pre-budget submission takes aim at women's health funding
Article content An Ottawa-based organization is urging the federal government to allocate millions of dollars in Budget 2025 to address gaps and misinformation in women's health, saying the money will advance women's health care across the country. Article content The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) is a national organization dedicated to advancing women's health and advocating for better health-care policies across the country. Article content Article content In its pre-budget submission, the organization outlined five key recommendations for government officials to consider while drafting Budget 2025, which is expected to drop in the fall. Article content Article content One of those recommendations is a $20 million investment to close data gaps in women's health by creating a National Women's Health Data Dashboard and improve data collection strategies. Article content The SOGC says the dashboard, which should be a standardized and disaggregated database, will provide meaningful insights into key women's health indicators. This includes data on maternal mortality and morbidity, stillbirth and perinatal loss, menopause and endometriosis. Article content This will help patients make informed decisions about their health and also allow health-care providers to provide more responsive, equitable and cost-effective care, the SOGC added. Article content Article content The organization also said the move will also have economic benefits because incomplete data leads to lost productivity and greater costs to the health-care system. Patients often have to foot hefty bills from unnecessary health-care costs. Article content Article content Currently, provinces and territories are responsible for collecting this data and practices may vary widely. Article content 'The federal government must take a leadership role in co-ordinating and standardizing this data collection, as approaches to health data collection across provinces and territories vary widely. Only national leadership can ensure consistency, comparability and the quality needed to build a reliable, actionable and nationally-focused database and dashboard,' the pre-budget submission read. Article content 'Without co-ordinated, federally driven health data infrastructure, Canada will continue to miss emerging health trends, fall short in reducing system costs and fail to support women whose pain and illness limit their ability to fully participate in the economy.'
Toronto Star
29-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Star
COVID vaccine ‘strongly recommended' during pregnancy, Canadian doctors say
TORONTO - Canada's gynecologists say COVID-19 vaccination 'remains safe and strongly recommended' during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada issued the assurance Wednesday, a day after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a longtime anti-vaccine activist — declared the shot is no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women south of the border.
Global News
28-05-2025
- Health
- Global News
COVID shot is safe during pregnancy, Canadian doctors say after U.S. move
Canada's gynecologists say COVID-19 vaccination 'remains safe and strongly recommended' during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada issued the assurance Wednesday, a day after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a longtime anti-vaccine activist — declared the shot is no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women south of the border. Pregnant women who become infected with COVID-19 are at higher risk of severe illness requiring hospitalization and intensive care than women who are not pregnant, the SOGC said. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine also helps protect against serious complications associated with the virus, such as preterm birth, it said. 'We have mounting, increasing scientific evidence about the impact of COVID-19 infection or other respiratory viruses on pregnant people and how vaccination does reduce that,' Dr. Darine El-Chaar, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at The Ottawa Hospital said in an interview. Story continues below advertisement El-Chaar, who was also speaking on behalf of the SOGC, said pregnant women remain a priority population for COVID vaccination in Canada and that the shot also provides some immunity against the virus for the baby. 4:33 Health Matters: COVID-19 Vaccine Registry for 2023 Pregnancies Kennedy's move to discontinue the shot in the U.S. is not based on any medical evidence, she said. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'There's been no study, there's been no clinical trial, no follow-up studies that have suggested any adverse outcomes or impact from COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant populations or infants … that would scientifically influence the decision made by the authorities in the U.S.,' she said. Citing 'an age of growing misinformation and disinformation,' the SOGC urged women and health-care providers to rely on 'evidence-based science and clinical expertise' to make vaccine decisions. El-Chaar said that it was important for the group to issue a statement to reassure pregnant women in Canada who see U.S. misinformation on the news or in social media. Story continues below advertisement Pregnant women should get a COVID-19 shot, especially if they had their last vaccination more than six months ago, she said. 'I talk about 'one vaccine, two lives.' You're protecting the mom and the baby,' El-Chaar said. —With files from The Associated Press.
Hamilton Spectator
28-05-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
COVID vaccine ‘strongly recommended' during pregnancy, Canadian doctors say
TORONTO - Canada's gynecologists say COVID-19 vaccination is 'strongly recommended' during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada issued the statement Wednesday, a day after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared the shot no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women south of the border. The Canadian group says pregnant women who become infected with COVID-19 are more likely to be hospitalized and require intensive care than women who are not pregnant. They also say getting vaccinated helps protect against serious complications associated with the virus, such as preterm birth. Citing 'an age of growing misinformation and disinformation,' the statement urges women and health-care providers to rely on 'evidence-based science and clinical expertise' to make vaccine decisions. Kennedy has long been a prominent anti-vaccine activist in the United States. — With files from The Associated Press. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Winnipeg Free Press
28-05-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
COVID vaccine ‘strongly recommended' during pregnancy, Canadian doctors say
TORONTO – Canada's gynecologists say COVID-19 vaccination is 'strongly recommended' during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada issued the statement Wednesday, a day after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared the shot no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women south of the border. The Canadian group says pregnant women who become infected with COVID-19 are more likely to be hospitalized and require intensive care than women who are not pregnant. They also say getting vaccinated helps protect against serious complications associated with the virus, such as preterm birth. Citing 'an age of growing misinformation and disinformation,' the statement urges women and health-care providers to rely on 'evidence-based science and clinical expertise' to make vaccine decisions. Kennedy has long been a prominent anti-vaccine activist in the United States. — With files from The Associated Press. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
