COVID-19 Vaccine and Pregnancy FAQ

Our advice for pregnant women or those considering pregnancy is to talk to your doctor, then if recommended, get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available.

Update: December 22, 2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends that all individuals who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, or could become pregnant in the future receive the COVID-19 vaccine or booster.

Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot can help protect patients and their unborn children or those breastfeeding from severe illness related to COVID-19. Current data indicates that the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of being vaccinated while pregnant. There is no data that suggests that there are benefits of delaying a booster shot (or initial vaccination), based on plans to become pregnant, being actively pregnant, or proximity to delivery.

To date, there is no evidence that any vaccines or booster, those for COVID-19 included, produce fertility issues in women or men. Additionally, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine states that pregnancy or fertility related concerns are not a valid form of vaccine exemption. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have any concerns.

The state of Louisiana has added pregnant women to the list of individuals eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Though the research is limited, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and healthcare providers say that the side effects for pregnant patients are less severe than the effects of getting the virus. The vaccine will provide protection to the mother, and the antibodies can be passed to the child through breastfeeding and in utero, which gives the baby protection before and after birth. Please contact your healthcare provider to see if getting the vaccine while pregnant is recommended for you.

On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNtech mRNA vaccine for use against the virus that is causing the illness known as COVID-19. The vaccine has been 95% effective in large-scale clinical trials and has already been approved for use in five other countries.

Another vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019, this one from manufacturer Moderna called mRNA-1273, received EUA approval on December 18. Its efficacy rate is reported to be 94%.

According to CDC guidelines, frontline healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities are the first to be inoculated. However, the decision about priority rests with each state.

While the majority of U.S. citizens may not have access to the vaccine until several months into 2021, it is important for infertility patients and pregnant women to start thinking about whether the vaccine is a good choice for them.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for pregnant women and parents-to-be?

After carefully studying all information and evidence, the doctors at The Fertility Institute recommend the following.

The CDC experts say that, based on how mRNA vaccines work, “they are unlikely to pose a risk for people who are pregnant.” This is because mRNA vaccines do not contain the live virus that causes COVID-19, so the shot cannot give a pregnant woman the disease. But the CDC says that the potential risks of the COVID-19 vaccine to a pregnant woman and her fetus are not yet fully known.

While a June 2020 CDC study found that pregnant people are at an increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness, this segment of the population was not included in the Operation Warp Speed vaccine trials.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG’s) COVID-19 working group reports that while pregnant women are typically excluded from most clinical trials, they have been vaccinated for decades with few complications. One ACOG working group doctor, Denise J. Jamieson, MD, MPH, said that because the COVID-19 vaccine uses messenger RNA technology and not a live dose of the actual virus, she anticipates the vaccine should be very safe in pregnancy.

Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I am pregnant or thinking about it?

Pfizer reported that about two dozen women became pregnant during the clinical trials, and so far, no evidence exists that the vaccine affects gestation or fertility.

If you have an underlying health condition or are one of the estimated 330,000 healthcare workers who are pregnant or breastfeeding during the initial months of the vaccine’s release, then it is imperative that you speak to your doctor about inoculation.

Even if you don’t fall into the above categories and you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, it’s best to speak with your doctor. Review the potential risks of vaccines in general, the science behind mRNA vaccines and your timing to determine whether getting vaccinated is the right choice for you.

For otherwise healthy people in general, the COVID Task Force of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) reports the following.

• In randomized trials, a similar number of women conceived after receiving the vaccine as did those who received the placebo.
• The vaccine is recommended for patients who are planning to conceive, who are currently pregnant, or who are breastfeeding to minimize risk to themselves and their pregnancy.
• Patients undergoing fertility treatment are encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine based on current eligibility criteria.
• The vaccine does not induce an immune reaction against key placental proteins.

Because the vaccine is not a live virus, the Task Force says there is no reason to delay pregnancy attempts due to vaccine administration or to defer treatment until receiving the second dose.

What are potential risks for pregnant women getting the vaccine?

At the same time, the ASRM Task Force notes that recent studies suggest that pregnancy poses a higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease along with factors such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Therefore, each person should weigh individual risks and benefits with her own doctor before receiving the vaccination.

Because there has been no specific research on the COVID-19 vaccine on pregnant women, no known risks have been documented. However, vaccines pose risks to the population at large in general. One is that inoculations can trigger a fever in pregnant women (a dose of acetaminophen is usually the recommended treatment).

Another is that, sometimes, ingredients in the vaccine can on rare occasions cause allergic reactions similar to those caused by allergies to bee stings and peanut butter. Reactions can include anaphylaxis, a severe condition that can cause shock, a rapid pulse rate, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting. Whether pregnant or not, anyone receiving the COVID vaccine should be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes after receiving the shot to mediate any complications.

Will the COVID vaccine make me infertile or miscarry?

ASRM’s Task Force Update No. 12 states that the vaccines do not cause infertility in women or men.

Currently, there is no data connecting the vaccine and infertility, and social media posts saying otherwise are “inaccurate,” according to Yale University vaccine expert Saad Omer in a Dec. 11, 2020 The New York Times wire story.

Instead of delivering a dose of live virus, the key ingredient in Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines is a genetic material that “teaches” human cells how to produce a protein, called spike, that can fight the coronavirus. No placental proteins or genetic material in the vaccine teaches the body how to make placental proteins.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain mRNA, a variation of a naturally occurring substance that directs the production of protein in cells throughout the body. The vaccine’s mRNA instructs the body’s immunological system to recognize the actual virus as a foreign invader and resist.

Duke University immunologist and expert in neonatal immunity Stephanie Langel explains in the The New York Times that the coronavirus spike and placental proteins have nothing in common, “making the vaccine highly unlikely to trigger a reaction to these delicate tissues.”

Regarding miscarriage, Mary Jane Minkin, MD, of Yale School of Medicine, tells USA Today that there has been no evidence among the 44,000 COVID-19 cases in pregnant women this year that spike protein antibodies attacked any cells in the placenta, which would cause pregnancy complications or miscarriage.

What if I can’t get access to the vaccine?

Regardless of whether you get the COVID-19 vaccine, it is imperative to continue wearing a mask and social distancing. Stay in touch with your doctor to learn when the COVID-19 vaccine will become available in your area.

If you become pregnant during the pandemic, notify your doctor immediately. According to the CDC, of those 44,000 pregnant women in this country tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020, more than 8,500 had to be hospitalized, and of those, 300 were admitted to intensive care and 57 died.

Can the coronavirus be transmitted through IVF or to or from embryos?

To date, no published scientific research suggests that the coronavirus is transmissible from gametes (reproductive cells such as embryos, eggs and sperm) to an intended mother or a gestational carrier.

What if I’ve already been infected with the new coronavirus?

Because surgical fertility treatments are considered elective, ASRM’s Task Force encourages any parent-to-be who has a previous or current coronavirus diagnosis to delay treatment for a few months.

Quoting a report from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Task Force suggests that timing of elective surgery should take into account possible post-operative complications, such as profound, negative cardiac functionality, and residual symptoms that include fatigue, muscle aches and chest pain. Based on the type of COVID-19 symptoms a person had and whether hospitalization was involved, waiting periods for elective surgery may range from one to three months.

Tell your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms related to new coronavirus infection or whether you’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19 so together you can develop a safe fertility treatment plan.

Conclusion: Precautions are still the best medicine

Organizations such as ACOG are urging the FDA, CDC and state leaders to allow the vaccination of pregnant women against COVID-19. Doing so would not only protect the mother and unborn child, but also the healthcare providers tending to them.

In the meantime, the best medicine for intended parents and pregnant women is to continue following state-mandated orders and CDC recommendations to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

• Continue to limit your exposure to individuals outside your household.
• Wear a mask.
• Practice good hand and mouth hygiene.
• Stay at home if you are sick.

If at any time you have questions about COVID-19 symptoms or prevention, contact your healthcare provider.

For more information online, see information on COVID-19 and the vaccine on the website of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

The content provided here is for general information only and should not be relied upon or used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any reliance on this information is at the risk of each web site visitor. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.