Ignore social media chatter: COVID vaccines don’t affect a woman’s fertility

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Monday, Oct. 11, 2021 — There is a common misconception that the COVID-19 vaccine impacts a woman’s ability to have children. However, there is no evidence that any vaccine, including the COVID-19 vaccine affects a woman’s fertility.

Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to become pregnant are encouraged to receive the vaccination. The vaccine is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American College of Obstretricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM).

Those who are pregnant or have recently given birth are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19. There is also a 70 percent increase in risk of death from COVID-19 complications. Those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 while pregnant have experienced a need for oxygen support and ICU admission, as well as preeclampsia and pre-term birth.

However, getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect new mothers from extreme illness as well as protect the health of the baby. Reports have even shown that vaccinated mothers who breastfeed have protective antibodies in their breast milk, which offers additional protection to their babies.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccination during and after pregnancy, contact your trusted primary care doctor or OB-GYN. It is also a good idea to schedule your flu vaccine and Tdap vaccine when you receive your COVID-19 immunization.

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