I’m having such a hard time deciding if I should get the vaccine whilst pregnant. I am currently 25 weeks so coming up to my third trimester
After it taking so long to get here with multiple cycles of IVF, an ectopic pregnancy, lose of a tube etc, I don’t want to do anything that will hard the baby.
I keep thinking about the Thalidomide drug back in the 60s and how it affected so many babies. The Covid vaccine is so new and I just can’t decide what’s for the best as I know mummy’s can get super ill if they catch Covid.
What’s everyone’s thoughts?
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I understand it’s such an emotional decision especially when you’ve been through IVF and losses to get here.
The best place to get up to date information on Covid and pregnancy is from RCOG. The latest numbers show that 20% of all critical care patients in hospital are pregnant and unvaccinated. Catching Covid in your third trimester also doubles your risk of stillbirth and puts you at a 2/3 times higher risk of preterm labour.
Personally I would wait till after you’ve had the baby. My sister just had a baby and booked in for it as soon as she had the baby and so did a couple of friends of mine! They had no symptoms after the jab either. I don’t think there is enough research personally for such a new vaccine x
Just read your post and I can see just how torn you are and I think the only person that can make that decision is you and you need to be comfortable with it.
Lots of people will have opinions on whether or not you should have it based on personal experiences but only you can decide. It is a divisive topic and there will lots of strong opinions. I personally did my own research before making my own decision.
The only advise I will give is to do your research thoroughly. Look at stats from countries like Israel and America for pregnant women who have gone on to have babies. See if that convinces you to have the vaccine.
If you choose not to have the vaccine, then I would personally be super careful in the 3rd trimester as this is the time that Covid can really result in serious complications for pregnant women. If you can shield then go ahead and do that and /or invest in a FFP2 mask.
I know what it is like to be scared of not wanting to jeopardise something so precious so my advice is that you just need to manage the risk of Covid either way. Covid can cause serious illness and one has to take precautions especially when pregnant.
I was having the same thoughts a few weeks back, and after speaking to two doctors and asking around, I made the decision that it was safer for me and my babies if I had the first vaccine. I’ve had two scans since and the babies are perfectly healthy.
I also work with someone who’s friend writes the material on vaccines and she’s pregnant, he offered for me to speak to her and she is confident that it’s the right decision to have the vaccine.
I haven’t booked my second yet, it’s not due for a few weeks and I am more nervous about that one because I know a fair few people who have been poorly after it. But I am also scared of the potential risk and consequences of getting Covid later in my pregnancy so I'm pretty sure I will get it.
Speak to your consultant and ask their advice. It’s such a personal choice to make and you need to feel ready to get it. There’s lots of research to suggest it’s safe but with all these things, no one can say with absolute certainty that it’s absolutely safe (that’s what my GP told me).
If I didn’t have it, my consultant asked me to shield - so I’m WFH and basically only seeing family and close friends and being careful really.
Congratulations on your pregnancy so sorry for your loss too. I was also struggling to make this decision it is an awful choice to make ( Ive had 3 early losses and 1 late loss) and only you can decide what is right for you.
I spoke to my obstetrician who was very pro vaccination- the risks of getting Covid in last trimester are pre term labour and still birth and 1-10 end up in intensive care unit some otherwise healthy women. The risks of the vaccination seem less than getting Covid in last trimester.
I was advised if I didn't have the vaccination then I would have to have shield throughout my whole pregnancy - to us that wasn't an option as we have a 2 year old daughter to consider and hubby can't work from home.If you can can shield that could be an option for you.
I had my first Pfizer a week before we conceived and my second dose I postponed until I was 14 weeks as I didn't feel comfortable having any vaccination in early pregnancy. I'm now 21 weeks pregnant and so far all is well. I had slight tiredness from vaccination and a sore arm but no other side effects. Even with double vaccination I have been advised by my obstetrician to wear masks in public confined spaces, social distancing and hand washing.
It is such a hard decision to make and I would advise to get advice from a trusted medic and by visiting royal college of midwives and obstetricians website lots of useful information there- try not to listen to false information from anti vaxxers there are plenty out there ( they tried to get into my head. )
Good luck with whatever you decide to do I'm sure you will make the right decision for you Xx
By this time hundreds of thousands of pregnant people have had the vaccine and gone on to have their babies, and problems would have been flagged by now. What's not disputed is pregnancy is a state of depressed immunity and the virus can make you very sick, with potentially devastating consequences for you and your baby.
I waited to get my second dose as it fell right in the middle of my IVF, and I've been so busy traipsing to the clinic for scans, plus looking after my toddler, plus work, plus knowing the sedation would leave me feeling a bit sh*tty, plus 3 or 4 needles a day is already a lot!! that I really didn't want to risk having side effects for a few days at an already busy and stressful time. EC was yesterday and as we'll be freezing anything we get, I'm off first thing on Monday to get my second jab.
I can understand how torn you and other pregnant women feel and I know that any decision comes from the place of wanting to look after your longed for baby, so no judgement, but in your position I would get it. Congratulations on your pregnancy, hope the rest of it is happy and healthy xxx
I’ve had both of mine and I know it’s hard. First was just before IVF stims and second at 10.5 weeks pregnant. I know it’s a hard decision but one in six people in intensive care with Covid are unvaccinated pregnant women.
There is an excellent Maternity Action webinar where an obstetrician talks about having to deliver babies early as women are put into comas to fight the virus. That’s not what I wanted for my son. My baby has been fine on all scans and having fought for him so hard, I want to keep him safe. Best of luck with your decision. xx
Hello dear! I'm not trying to make you take the vaccine but many studies have shown that catching covid while been pregnant can result in a stillbirth and if you take the vaccine some of the antibodies after you start breastfeeding will pass to your baby! So it only up to you how much you want to risk but it's not only about you....
Please don't compare the vaccine with taking a medicine such as thalidomide. There is an absolute huge difference. Research shows that the vaccine does not cross the placenta. The antibodies that can protect your baby could. Any medicine will go in your bloodstream, through your placenta and will reach your baby. Therefore some medication can have devastating effects. At 25 weeks your baby is fully formed as in, things such as the arms, legs and internal organs are there and in right proportion- stuff now just needs to grow. Thalidomide was taken as a sickness drug in the first trimester when the vital early development of the baby is taking place. This is how the medicine caused birth defects. But once again, a vaccine works in a completely different way.
With the vaccine being available for quite a long time many many pregnant women will have already taken the vaccine. There is now a very loud minority who are anti-vaccin and use the internet to discourage other women to have a vaccine. I would use reputable sources such as the NHS and RCOG to make informed decisions.
I got Pfizer at 20 weeks, second dose 21 days later. Had my baby 2 weeks ago, everything is fine so far. I would recommend the vaccine, as multiple pregnant women already died from covid and never even got to hold their babies. Most people think it's not going to happen to them but why risk it?
Hello, I was in the same position and was very worried about the possible effects on the unborn baby, especially after the long journey we had to get pregnant! But my doctor strongly recommended having the vaccine (Pfizer). I decided that the risks of covid to the baby whilst pregnant outweighed the other concerns. I had two Pfizer jabs in my 3rd trimester and my baby is one week old and seems fine so far x
I have had two miscarriages and nine cycles of IVF - finally got to the second trimester. I was absolutely petrified of the vaccine, but did it on doctors advice. Had my recent scan and baby is fine
I would advise to take medical advice to protect you and baby x
Personally I chose to have the vaccine at 12 weeks and the 2nd at 20 weeks. I did my research and was satisfied that for me it was the right choice. I have 3 step children all in secondary school and I work full time in a large office so shielding was not an option for me. I'm now 33 weeks and feel less anxious although still being careful.
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