This week saw the first Covid-19 vaccines administered in the UK. After a long 9 months of lockdowns, restrictions and face masks, hope is finally on the horizon. However, whilst you might think that we would all be clambering to get our hands on the game-changing vaccine, people still have questions and there are still limitations on who can have it. If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant soon, you may have some concerns about the vaccine, or be confused about whether or not to have it. Here is what we know so far…
Can I get the Covid vaccine if I’m pregnant?
Right now, no. During the pandemic, there was a lot of talk about coronavirus and pregnancy. Pregnant women have been treated as ‘at-risk’ – and have often been advised to shield where possible. Whilst there is so far no evidence that pregnant women are likely to get seriously ill from Coronavirus, they can be more at risk from viruses like flu – so this was done as a precaution.
So, it’s understandable to assume that they would be first in line to get the vaccine. But the fact is, they have not been included in any of the medical trials, so it’s not safe for them to be given the vaccine at present. Public Health England explains ‘As with most pharmaceutical products, specific clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women have not been carried out,’ their guidance reads. ‘Although the available data do not indicate any safety concern or harm to pregnancy, there is insufficient evidence to recommend the routine use of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy. Vaccination should be postponed until completion of pregnancy.’
Are there any exceptions?
If you are at high risk – for example, if you work in healthcare – the advice is to get the vaccine as soon as possible after giving birth. This may mean you have to think about feeding your baby with formula rather than breastfeeding. For the small percentage of the population that have underlying conditions that put them in the high-risk category – such as Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, homozygous sickle cell disease, motor neurone disease, chemotherapy, and chronic kidney disease, the advice is to shield. However, if you are unable to shield for any reason, doctors can consider discussing the vaccine, even if pregnant. This is obviously a slightly risky approach and the mother-to-be will have to be fully informed of the potential risks and weigh up the benefits vs the risks of having the vaccine.
Can I get the vaccine if I’m planning on getting pregnant soon?
Really this all depends on when you are planning on conceiving. The government advice is that if you are planning on getting pregnant in the next 3 months, you should delay your vaccination until after pregnancy. However, if you have a bit more time to play with, you could start the two-dose vaccination now – but avoid getting pregnant for at least 2 months after your second dose. If you have had the first dose and then become pregnant, you should hold off on getting the second dose until after the pregnancy is over.
Is the vaccine safe if I’m breastfeeding?
Currently, women who are breastfeeding are being advised not to have the vaccine. Again, this is not due to a known risk to the mother or baby – but down to a lack of research.
‘It is unknown whether COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is excreted in human milk,’ the government website states. ‘A risk to the newborns/infants cannot be excluded. COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 should not be used during breast-feeding.’
Could the vaccine impact my fertility?
Much like pregnancy, there were many people concerned that coronavirus could impact fertility – and there are now similar concerts around the vaccine. The government has stated – under a section on ‘Fertility, pregnancy and lactation’, in a public document released for healthcare professionals, that ‘It is unknown whether COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 has an impact on fertility.’ As with many other elements of both coronavirus and its vaccine, the gaps in our knowledge are down to a lack of research or longitudinal data, so they are likely to be airing on the side of caution.
Whilst official government guidelines may not give too much away about the vaccines potential impact on fertility, NHS surgeon and lecturer at Imperial College and the University of Sunderland, Dr Karan Rajan has taken to social media to quell any concerns. He recently released a video busting myths around the vaccine and he tackled the subject of fertility. ‘There is no reason to expect an effect on fertility – specific research would’ve been done if there were a plausible reason to expect this being a problem,’ he says in an Instagram video that has been viewed over 65,000 times. ‘Instead, the risk of Covid-19 affecting your fertility is far greater.’
This is an ever-developing situation, with more information being gleaned all the time. It may be a while before we know whether both the virus and the vaccine have an impact on fertility or pregnancy, but it’s important to remember that it’s so far, so good from the small data sets we can examine.
