Covid Vaccines advise in pregnacy

[Unlockgoodhealth]

What advise have you received regarding the Covid Vaccines whilst pregnant?

My own experience has left me totally co fused ...to the point that I fear my decision. If I have the vaccine & miscarry I will never forgive myself & if I catch Covid whilst pregnant I'll feel I I've made the wring decision. The hospital staff, midwives and consultants are saying there only the USA ruddy report to consider & it's not conclusive as to the total safety during pregnacy only time will tell us for sure.

So what do I do? Risk the vaccine affecting my pregnacy & unborn child or risk getting COVID.

[liz35]

Hi. I’ve been struggling with this also and am currently 21 weeks pregnant (through ivf) I had the same thoughts as you. Either way I wouldn’t forgive myself.

So my husband and I read all the data we could find and weighed up the risks and benefits. I was against getting the vaccine at first because there wasn’t much data out at the time and healthcare professionals were saying different things.

With rates of covid rapidly raising I realised my chances of catching it had increased and I would have to totally isolate, not see family or anyone!

My husband works away and we have a toddler (through ivf) so this would be hard. After a long hard think. We’ve decided for me to have the vaccine.

I think it comes down to your personal choice. You have to assess your risk of catching covid and read all the data available. The government are strongly recommending it now.

Check out pregnant and screwed on Instagram. They had a live video discussion with a immunologists who talked about it. This helped me make my decision.

I hope the above helps.

Take care

[Hidden]

Hi totally agree with liz35. It’s a personal choice and all you can do is your research and make the right decision for you. I think Tommy’s recently did a good q&a you might find on Insta that might be useful. My acupuncturist is also a midwife and I’ve discussed it with a few people. Personally I am going to have the Covid jab in a weeks time once I have got to the 12 week mark as the baby has done most of its crucial developing by then. I believe pregnant women are at their most vulnerable to Covid in their last trimester and I heard a radio 4 programme where they quoted 1 in 10 pregnant women with Covid will end up in hospital, so that swung it for me. Alongside the fact numbers are rising and the uk is opening up - there’s only so much hiding away and isolating I can do! You’re right there’s only the data from America. It’s such a personal decision and you have to do what’s right for you. All I can suggest is do as much reading around it as possible and be comfortable with your decision.

[Greyeverything]

I also agree with Liz35 and TillyL.

I have struggled with this decision too and still am to be honest. I think if the covid numbers were low I would have maybe not got it and just been extra careful but with the numbers rising the way they are I have decided to get the jab in 2 weeks once I am 12 weeks along. Im still going back and forth about whether it’s the right decision but I have been doing my research and can see no reason why it isn’t safe. Where as catching COVID could leave me in hospital and I worry about the strain of being really poorly on the baby.

I don’t want to live in fear of covid for my whole pregnancy.

There are lots of resources out there now about it. Lots of credible doctors discussing it on Instagram that I have looked at and that’s helped me decide what to do. I’ve not seem one medical professional say there is an issue getting it.

[Sukibubs]

I agree with the comments above, it’s totally your choice. Having gone through IVF myself I was really torn, but after speaking to my GP and midwife I decided that it was the safest thing to do for myself and the baby. I was advised to have both doses during the 2nd trimester only, so I had my first dose at 14 weeks and my second at 22 weeks.

I was naturally worried, so I booked a reassurance scan for 2 weeks after the first one and then I have a reassurance scan again this coming week which will again be two weeks after the second dose.

I know someone who caught COVID in the 3rd trimester and the high temp brought on early labour (8 weeks premature). Thankfully baby is all fine, but as she has COVID the baby got whisked away from her and she couldn’t see him for 3 days. She also couldn’t have her husband at the birth and he couldn’t see the baby either as he has to isolate.

You do what’s right for you, although I understand that’s sometimes that’s the issue, you don’t know what’s the right thing to do xx

[Purpledoggy]

It isn't the easiest choice and it does feel unfair to have to make it. Unfortunately healthcare practitioners aren't in a position to advise as there isn't enough data for them to do that. Having said this, when I told my GP and midwife I would be taking the jab at 13 and 21 weeks, they were both very approving of this, so I think privately they would really like everyone to have it, even if they can't push it.

The biggest question is what is your personal risk of getting COVID? If you and everyone in your household works at home, or can pretty much shield, then your risk would be very low although you still have to attend appointments including the potential for A&E if you had complications. If anyone in your house goes out to work that risk jumps considerably, even if they are vaccinated. Something that really scared me happened during my IVF round - my husband works at a research lab in a hospital (on COVID actually) and is very careful about masking, antibaccing, distancing etc etc. On the evening of my embryo transfer, I came down with a really bad cold (definitely not COVID) and we knew it was him that gave it to me as I was isolating except for going to the clinic, and when we talked about it he had a sore throat 2 days before I had a sore throat and was then ill for a week (for whatever reason when he doesn't get sick with a cold I always do and vice versa!). Despite all of his care he brought a (thankfully non-COVID) virus home with him and at that point I decided there was going to be no way to avoid the possibility of infection with him going into work.

An additional thing that worries me about COVID is the risk of long COVID. At 40yo, white, female and asthmatic, I am at relatively high risk of developing it (about 5%) and the thought of long COVID while pregnant/dealing with a baby doesn't bear thinking about. We still don't know if long COVID is a chronic low grade infection or a long-standing defective immune response (husband's theory is persistent gut infection) and I don't like the thought of having a long-standing virus floating around while pregnant as that could have some really weird effects on the baby. But, again that comes down to personal demographic - if you are much younger than me your risk of long COVID is going to be lower.

As someone I know said, the vaccine is experimental, but so is the virus. I decided I'd rather take my chances with an experimental vaccine than an experimental virus! xx

[Jess1981]

I'm also really struggling to make this decision. I'm 9 weeks 4 days pregnant after 1 late loss at 20 weeks pregnant and 2 early ones. I feel the same either way if something goes I will not forgive myself. I don't know what the safest option is for my baby. I am going to speak with my consultant and midwife I really don't know what to do. I am interested to hear what others have to say. It's so tough. I want to do the very best for my baby 🥲 Xx

[Running79]

I’m 22 weeks pregnant and like everyone else it’s personal choice

I was handed a leaflet by the midwife to read and that’s the last they’ve said anything

I decided not to have it as the data is far from in depth not like that if you were getting the flu jab or whooping cough

Last I heard only 900 babies had been born in the USA so really for me there hasn’t been enough long term study into the lasting effects if any

I also weighed up that like with the flu vaccine it doesn’t stop you getting it, transmitting it or being hospitalised with it

I think it’s also interesting that the government have decided not to vaccinate children, if it’s that safe why not?!

[Chiefy]

I didn't even think about it. There are no known risks to the vaccine but the risks of catching covid when pregnant can be catastrophic. I had my first at 19 weeks and second at 26 weeks. Baby doesn't stop moving and kicking me. Every scan and doppler reading I've had shows he is absolutely fine.

I would strongly suggest you read the reports from RCOG (Royal College of Obs and Gynae) and the RCM (Royal College of Midwives) .

Given how drs are reluctant to let pregnant women have an antihistamine, no one would be advising pregnant women to have the vaccine if they weren't confident.

[Chiefy in reply to Chiefy]

rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-r...

rcm.org.uk/media-releases/2...

[xIVFWarriorx in reply to Chiefy]

Your advice about reading the RCOG and RCM pages was really useful. I’m currently on STIMS and due to have my second vaccine between projected egg collection and (hopefully) transfer. I’ve been humming and hawing about what to do. The advice on those websites has really cemented my choice to just go get the second vaccine. Thank you 🙂

[Danoula]

I understand you wholeheartedly. The nurses and doctors at my clinic advise to get the vaccine. They say other pregnant women have gotten it and they delivered healthy babies. They are more concerned with mama getting sick and developing a high fever which wouldn’t be good for baby in utero. If you decide yes, discuss with your doctor the right time during the pregnancy to get the vaccine. Please know this is a personal decision between you and your partner. Continue to get informed and have as many discussions you need with health professionals. Your baby, your body, your decision. The best of luck

[Wishingfortheday]

Just to add another viewpoint, but not to sway you one way or another: last year during my 3rd trimester I had Covid. It was early on and there was no vaccine available, and I was poorly with it for a few weeks. Luckily the symptoms cleared before delivery - I went to term and had a perfectly healthy baby girl. She is thriving and neither of us have any health problems. I know not everyone will be like that, and I don't know what choice I would make if I was pregnant now instead - I think I'd feel cautious about the limted information available on pregnancy or long term outcomes for children as it's so new. If I had other risk factors or underlying conditions then that might outweigh the unknowns for me. If you feel you've got all the information you can get and still unsure, you'll have to take a bit of a leap of faith one way or the other - it can be difficult making big decisions, trust yourself and I hope you enjoy the rest of your pregnancy until your little one is in your arms ❤

[Marisa32]

I got Pfizer at 20 weeks. That's what my doctor advised. Getting a bad case of covid can cause premature labor not to mention other complications. I believe covid carries a higher risk than vaccines. Haven't seen any reports of MCs due to Pfizer vaccine. Also don't want to be that person who died from Delta variant or is sitting in ICU because I didn't want to vaccinate.