The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation has caused grave concern for parents planning on a conceiving. They are not only worried about the safety of their fetus but also worried about the mother’s health due to other related factors. Hence, couples decide to postpone their fertility treatment for until after they have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 Vaccine and Infertility Concerns in Females
Many couples are worried about the after-effects or side-effects of COVID-19 vaccination and they’re also concerned that the vaccine may give rise to infertility or problems in gestation such as stunted growth or development of infants, demise of the fetus during pregnancy, etc. On the contrary, the data on the functional capacity and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine have not definitively demonstrated that COVID-19 vaccination will give rise to infertility in fertile or infertile couples.
Can a Pregnant Woman get the COVID-19 Vaccine?
According to a study by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), pregnant women can get the vaccinated as there is no definitive proof that COVID-19 vaccines cause problems during gestation.
Can I Get Pregnant After Vaccination?
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated women don’t need to avoid being pregnant after receiving mRNA type COVID-19 vaccine. It is understood that vaccine don’t invade the cell nucleus. Hence, mutation in both the mother and the fetus is unlikely in the event the woman gets pregnant occurred after vaccination. Therefore, couples planning to conceive after vaccination should visit the obstetrician for detailed consultation and advice.
Pregnancy and Vaccination
Research on vaccine side effects show that pregnant women can suffer few but limited side effects. So, couples should seek professional medical advice before deciding to conceive to assess the risk or the severity of side effects and to assess the benefit and/or disadvantage compared with the potential side effects of the vaccine. If it is found that there is a greater risk of COVID infection, the doctor may conclude that vaccination to prevent disease is carried out first. Also, it may so happen that a spouse may contract COVID-19 from their doctor who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Therefore, it is prudent for their doctor to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Is it possible to receive the vaccine during breastfeeding?
The CDC study provides no definitive research on breastfeeding mothers, including babies who are breastfed by vaccinated mothers or the nature of the milk of vaccinated mothers but because the nature of the COVID-19 vaccine boosts the immune system, there is no risk associated with vaccination. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that, while awaiting results from definitive research, breastfeeding mothers who are not at risk of COVID-19 should delay vaccination until after the lactation period. For those who are currently breastfeeding, there is a high risk of COVID-19 infection. What are the benefits and risks of the vaccine? You can get vaccinated by first talking to your obstetrician.
Infection with COVID during pregnancy
It has been shown by the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that pregnant women are at a low risk of serious illnesses such as COVID-19. However, females with high blood pressure and obesity and others who have congenital diseases are at an increased risk of serious illnesses from COVID-19, which may lead to premature birth of their fetus.
COVID-19 can cause severe associated illnesses in otherwise healthy individuals. Although it has been found that pregnant females are at low risk of developing COVID-19, it is still advisable that they exercise utter caution and avoid any negligence. Before getting the COVID-19 vaccine, they should first consult with their doctor. They should also take care of themselves, be healthy and be physically fit and stay away from venues where that are at risk of COVID-19. They should also maintain social distance and wear a mask all the time to improve their safety from COVID-19.
Written by
Dr.Sirisuk Ouitrakul