Brazil suspends use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women

FILE PHOTO: A medical worker prepares a dose of Oxford/AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre in Antwerp, Belgium March 18, 2021. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa said on Tuesday that it had suspended the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women after learning that a woman had died from a stroke in an incident seen as possibly related to the immunization.

The 35-year-old woman, who died on May 10, was 23 weeks pregnant, Anvisa said, adding that it had not been informed of any other adverse events involving pregnant women.