There is a misconception about the COVID vaccine in pregnancy that can do more harm than good. As misinformation spreads, so do fear that the vaccine can lead to infertility. But what are the truth behind COVID vaccine pregnancy and infertility issues? Read on.
Doctors Debunk Infertility Disinformation
Internal medicine physician Niharika Sathe revealed she first heard of the rumor from a colleague. Apparently, news circulating online that the COVID-19 shot can result in the immune system attacking the placenta and other lead to infertility and miscarriage, Washington Post reported.
This was alarming for the pregnant doctor. "The news had enough science and sounded plausible," said Sathe, who ended up getting the vaccine along with her colleague after debunking the misinformation.
Because of this, health experts were able to pinpoint the disinformation spread on social media that negatively affected women's decisions in their 20s and 30s to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, cited many instances of women in their childbearing age who are hesitant to get vaccinated because of views on infertility.
"The stories on the internet about vaccination leading to infertility, there is absolutely nothing to it."
Another reason women in their childbearing age are reluctant to get the shot is that early trials did not specifically look at the effects of the vaccine on pregnant and lactating women.
Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe for Women Who Want to Get Pregnant?
The leading professional organizations on women's reproductive system, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a joint statement COVID-19 vaccine concerns related to pregnancy.
The experts recommend the COVID vaccine to pregnant women, adding that "there is no such evidence the COVID vaccine leads to loss of fertility.
There have been no reported cases of loss of fertility among trial participants and women who received COVID vaccine." The health experts further stressed that it is scientifically unlikely that the COVID vaccine leads to loss of fertility, The University of Alabama News reported.
Also, fertility specialist Deidre Gunn, M.D. cited preliminary evidence suggesting the COVID vaccine during pregnancy can pass helpful antibodies to the baby.
False Placenta Claims about COVID Vaccine during Pregnancy
There are also rumors that the COVID vaccine contains proteins used to make the placenta. Thus, the body may attack the placenta. While the COVID vaccine carries a protein with a slight resemblance to the protein used in placenta development, the similarities are not enough to be confusing to the body, BBC reported.
As for COVID vaccination for pregnant women, Pfizer has recently begun clinical trials and plan to enroll around 4,000 pregnant women.
As always, we advise those planning to get pregnant, or those who are pregnant and plan to get vaccinated to consult with a medical expert prior to making any decisions.
