COVID 19 Vaccine And Trying To Get Pregnant

4 min read

Written by Gayathri Lakshminarayanan

Gayathri Lakshminarayanan

CA, B.Com

Gayathri’s passion for writing had its foundation at the very early stages of her life when she was on her college editorial board and also won several awards for writing events and book review competitions. She combines her corporate experience with her writing skills and her experience as a homemaker makes her an empathetic contributor in the parenting domain . Her shift from full-time accounting professional to a homemaker gave her career a new direction.

Covid 19 vaccine

COVID 19 vaccine and trying to get pregnant is one of the recent concerns. The world is facing a new normal in the COVID-19 Pandemic. It has been more than a year since we shook hands and gave our near and dear ones a warm hug. Masks and sanitizers have started becoming our best buddies and savior from this dreaded pandemic.

However, there is general confusion among everyone about whether women planning to get pregnant can take these vaccines. Well, let us discuss in detail this co-relation between the COVID-19 vaccine and women trying to get pregnant in this article.

In This Article

I am Trying to Get Pregnant. Should I Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?
Are there Risks Involved in Getting the Vaccine while Trying to Get Pregnant?
Does the COVID-19 Vaccine Cause Infertility?
How Many Months You have to Delay Pregnancy after Taking the Vaccine?
What is the Impact of COVID-19 on Women Planning to Get Pregnant?

I am Trying to Get Pregnant. Should I Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

COVID-19 vaccine, just like any other vaccine, tries to build up the antibodies in the human body which try to fight against diseases. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, there are no shreds of evidence found that the COVID-19 vaccines create problems for getting pregnant. It is generally advised by doctors across the globe and the WHO that you need not avoid or prolong the COVID-19 vaccine if you are trying to get pregnant. In fact, getting your vaccine before getting pregnant is a way to protect yourself.

Are There Risks Involved in Getting the Vaccine while Trying to Get Pregnant?

women getting vaccine
Health organizations across the globe have suggested that there is no evidence of any risk associated with getting the vaccine. Moreover, it is recommended that you give top priority to getting yourself vaccinated if you are diabetic or have high blood pressure.

Having said all this, there are reports that suggest that the COVID-19 vaccine comes along with certain side effects:

Soreness at the site of the injection
Fatigue
Headache
Chills
Joint Pain
Fever

However, considering the risk of the disease, the side effects are of very low intensity. So, there is ultimately no risk in getting the vaccine while you are trying to get pregnant.

Does the COVID-19 Vaccine Cause Infertility?

When we are trying to get pregnant, we are extra cautious about everything around us. The food we eat, the places we travel, the stress-free workplace, and so on. We are also advised to avoid unnecessary medicines and steroids. And now the fear of dos and don’ts has increased multi-fold because of coronavirus. Added to that is the fact that women are confused as to whether the COVID-19 vaccine can lead to infertility

These fears have been put to rest by the WHO and other health care organizations across the globe. It is said that the studies of the COVID-19 vaccine do not show even remote traces of infertility among women.

How Many Months do You have to Delay Pregnancy after Taking the Vaccine?

The gynecologists and fertility experts have recommended delaying planning a pregnancy until two months after they get the vaccine against Covid-19. They also suggest connecting with a doctor as, according to a few reports, some vaccines containing live viruses can ‘potentially harm the fetus and damage its vision and hearing ability.

What is the Impact of COVID-19 on Women Planning to Get Pregnant?

women wearing mask
With the outburst of Covid-19 and considering the social, environmental, and medical factors, the minds of women who were planning to get pregnant have been in a wavering mode. The primary cause is the shift from face-to-face visits to the hospitals to virtual visits.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) surveyed women in the United Kingdom to determine their pregnancy planning behavior and the changes in their behavior pattern amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the survey are as given below:

92% of the women were planning for a pregnancy, and over half of them have responded that COVID-19 has affected their decision.
72% of the above women reported that they have deliberately postponed pregnancy.
27% of the women responded that they would proceed with the pregnancy.
1% of the women reported that they were no longer planning for a pregnancy.
The significant reasons for fear were the antenatal care and the adverse effects of the virus.

[Please note that the above survey results give a gist of the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on pregnancy planning only during a particular phase of the pandemic. The changes after that, concerning the intensity of the virus and the change in behavioral patterns, were tracked]

In the light of the above survey, it is undoubtedly evident that the COVID-19 vaccine has impacted the decision of the women planning their pregnancy but still, many women without any pre-existing conditions want to go ahead with their previous call.

So, if you are planning for a pregnancy, it is completely safe and recommended for you to take the vaccine. But you do need to consult with your doctor first. They can check your history and make an informed decision.