How COVID-19 Vaccines Affect Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Fertility

The COVID-19 vaccine has been found to be safe and effective for use by women who are pregnant and breastfeeding and those trying to get pregnant now or who intend to become pregnant in the future.

In fact, vaccination is strongly recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and two leading organizations representing top specialists in obstetric care: the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

People Who Are Pregnant

If you might be or are pregnant, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 can help protect you and your baby from severe illness. Women who are pregnant are prone to get severely ill with COVID-19 – more so than those who are not pregnant.

By severe illness, we mean that which requires hospitalization and intensive care, including the need for special equipment to breathe or a ventilator, and may result in death. In addition, if you are pregnant and get COVID-19, you run the risk of preterm birth, stillbirth and other pregnancy complications.

Furthermore, a recent study found that women who were pregnant and tested positive for COVID-19 during birth were more likely to develop preeclampsia or require an emergency cesarean.

If you are have not yet gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, you should choose the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. Furthermore, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot after your first and second dose and are recommended to do so.

The risk of serious illness is greater during the third trimester. So, if you get pregnant after receiving your first dose, you should receive your second dose to complete the course of vaccination before giving birth.

Research involving more than 40,000 pregnant women from across six studies in four countries shows that getting vaccinated does not increase the risk of preterm birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, small-for-gestational-age baby or congenital anomalies.

People Who Are Breastfeeding

You and your baby cannot catch COVID-19 from the vaccines. Therefore, you can get vaccinated if you are breastfeeding and should continue breastfeeding after being vaccinated.

People Who Are Trying for a Baby

There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines (or any other vaccines) cause fertility problems in women or men. Therefore, if you are trying to become pregnant now or intend to try for a baby in the future, you can get vaccinated without worrying about it affecting your chances of becoming pregnant.

How To Handle Vaccine Side Effects

Some people experience temporary flu-like symptoms caused by the immune system ramping up. These side effects are not a symptom of infection. However, if you are pregnant, you should take paracetamol if you experience fever following vaccination, because fever has been associated with unfavorable pregnancy outcomes.

The choice to be vaccinated is yours, but you can contact us for more information if you are unsure of what to do. Give your baby the most excellent chance for a healthy birth with our support!