A doubt about the COVID vaccine during pregnancy

[Rex2021]

There is a huge debate about the effects of the Covid vaccine on teenagers. I am pregnant and I would like to take the Covid vaccine... however why all this worry about vaccinating teenagers when pregnant women are advised to vaccinate and pass the antibodies to the unborn. Isn't this an inconsistency?

[Seb9]

The only debate I've really heard of is because they don't get overly sick from Covid-19 is it worth giving it to them when there are some risks to taking the vaccine. In the US they have said that the benefits still outweigh the risks and that the risk of side effects from the vaccine is so low that they're routinely vaccinating all 12 + now. I think the same will happen here eventually.

[IvfStruggler]

I understand your question. Maybe it's because the general idea is that if teenagers get Covid they won't be really ill so their vaccination is mainly for the general protection of society. Whereas pregnant women can get very ill particularly in their 3rd trimester and harm can come to the baby so it's more for personal protection. When it comes to children- people do go a bit over the top. I worked with teenage girls when the HPV vaccine was first offered. The things they had been told about the vaccine by adults (parents and teachers) was completely insane. Just shocking. I'm in the Netherlands and here lots of teenagers are getting their vaccine and there is not much concern. There is a real worry though about teenagers developing long Covid as cases are rising. My 12 year old niece has just booked hers and isn't too keen but does it "to protect others". My 9 year old niece is very disappointed she can't have hers yet. Xx

[Rex2021 in reply to IvfStruggler]

Thank you. This is a good way to put it.

[ThisIsUsRRR]

First Astra Zeneca jab in March before I fell pregnant. I’m 20 weeks today and I’m leaving the 2nd until the baby is born. Everyone is saying the benefits outweigh the risks but that’s not proven with this type of jab so how can that be said! It’s going directly into the placenta and no one knows the effects. We are told all these little things to avoid in pregnancy but yet are expected to just have a vaccine without full tests! If I’d have had one of the other two jabs then I would almost definitely have had the second one already, but unfortunately I had AZ

Reply

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[Cmh25 in reply to ThisIsUsRRR]

The vaccine doesn't cross the placenta but some antibodies do. Studies show the only organ it gets to is the liver. I have a link of good info but i'm on a different computer so can't share it right now!Also if you have had your 1st AZ jab, you are most likely to be fine with your 2nd jab as the 1st one tends to have stronger side effects. x

PS. Not pushing the jabs I haven't even had any jabs yet as i've been very cautious but been reading all the medical stuff obsessively! Now i know the jab doesn't cross the placenta I am leaning towards getting it. I would say the benefits outweigh the risks in the third trimester of pregnancy.xx

[Rex2021 in reply to Cmh25]

I am like you. I've read lots of scientific literature on this matter by now. I did read that the vaccine does not cross the placenta in an article (published in may 2021?), but the placentas which were analysed were from women that received the vaccination in the 3rd trimester. Of course, this does not rule out the possibility the same might happen if you get vaccination earlier. In Portugal, a new guideline was recently issued regarding pregnancy vaccination: they recommend the vaccination after 20-21 weeks with 3 or 4 weeks between the two doses. This is what I am going to do.

I would get it even earlier but due to personal logistics and travels, this is the easiest way for me.

I would be interested to read the evidence you have.

I also recommend the theobspod, lots of podcasts by a NHS obstetrician and there is one on vaccination. Very good. open.spotify.com/show/0lIE0...

[Cmh25 in reply to Rex2021]

That’s interesting. That’s why I have been so reluctant until now, because advice is different in different countries, I wish every country said the same thing.

Thanks so much for the podcast, I’ll have a listen later.

Look for Dr Viki Male on Twitter. She is an immunologist specialising in pregnancy. She has put up a document full of links of all the data and she updates it regularly. Most of the links I have read are in that document! Xx

[Rex2021 in reply to Cmh25]

Thank you. I am now following this doctor. I did not find the studies regarding the (baby's) liver. Could you please tell me where can I find it? thank you!

[Cmh25 in reply to Rex2021]

I read it on her Twitter feed, but I didn’t mean it goes to the baby’s liver, I meant our liver it doesn’t reach the baby.I think she also mentions it in her interview on Instagram, I also recommend watching it, it was really helpful!

instagram.com/tv/CRo4a7fnkr...

[ThisIsUsRRR]

Thank you for this 😊 x

[Shem008]

I’ve had both my vaccinations now. I had the first before falling pregnant and the second at 7.5 weeks. I had the AstraZeneca and was very dubious about having the second one but did a lot of research (looked at the royal college for midwives in the end as the gov.uk website was absolutely rubbish). I found the data I needed to make an informed decision and chose to go ahead with the second. I have had two miscarriages previously so was quite wary but realised that pregnant women are at increased risk of prem labour if they contract covid in the third trimester (it would be winter in my third trimester so probably more pressure on the nhs and less likely to get the decent care I’d need plus my daughter was prem anyway so I didn’t want to increase the risk again) and pregnant women are more likely to get very ill from covid. I already have a three year old and decided the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks. I did have some bleeding a few days later which was worrying but everything was fine and they couldn’t say if it was the vaccine or not as I have an abnormal shaped uterus and bleeding on one side is actually quite common for it’s shape so they put it down to that. It’s a very personal decision and I think the U.K. has been waiting for more info from the rest of the world before making any firm decision about saying it’s safe for children having the vaccine. There is already a lot of info on the vaccine in pregnancy from America but less about teenagers and children. I think they’ll make some sort of statement in the next couple of months after the roll out to 18 years olds.

[Rex2021]

Thank you