Is It Safe To Have The COVID-19 Vaccine Whilst Pregnant?

Is it safe to have the COVID-19 vaccine whilst pregnant?

Here in the UK, pregnant women face a dilemma: is receiving the vaccine safe for my baby and me? Shall I have it?

As a practising midwife, I see the confusion and consequences first-hand. At the time of writing, it's predicted that less than one-third of pregnant women have had their vaccine (28%).

Having the vaccine is absolutely your decision, but I'd like to share some information to help inform that decision. If you are still uncertain about what to do, I recommend talking to your midwife, GP, practice nurse or NHS booking service.

Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Chief Midwife for England (and my old boss!), recently recommended that pregnant women have their vaccine as soon as possible.

Do I need the vaccine?

Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi said:

"Pregnant women are more likely to get seriously ill from COVID-19, and we know that vaccines are safe for them and make a huge difference – in fact, no pregnant woman with two jabs has required hospitalisation with COVID-19."

The virus is causing more and more pregnant women to be admitted to the hospital. The risk increases as their pregnancies progress; having the vaccine is the best way to avoid hospitalisation and infection.

Are vaccines safe for my baby?

The COVID-19 vaccine is new, yes. However, pregnant women have had other vaccines with extensive scientific research to say those have been safe.

COVID-19 vaccines do not contact live viruses, which means it isn't possible to be infected with COVID-19 with the vaccine. However, the antibodies you produce due to the vaccine can be passed to your baby via the placenta, which increases the chance your baby will have greater protection against the illness after birth.

There have been no adverse effects on the baby, pregnancy, or woman of over 200,000 pregnant women who have received the vaccine in the UK and USA.

Clinical Trials

A clinical trial has just begun, 'Preg-CoV', which hopes to reassure expectant mothers of the safety, possible side-effects and impact on babies. (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-study-into-covid-19-vaccine-dose-interval-for-pregnant-women)

Which Trimester Is Best To Get The Vaccine?

The vaccine provides the best protection a few weeks after your second dose. With this in mind, and considering the current advice that you wait eight weeks between first and second doses, the first or second trimester is recommended.

What If I Decide Not To Get My Vaccine?

We realise that there may be situations where people should not get the vaccine; for example, you have a condition that doctors advise you not to get the vaccine. Or if you decide not to for other reasons.

In these cases, my advice to you is to continue social distancing, meeting people outdoors when possible, wearing a mask indoors and sanitising your hands regularly.

Further Reading:

Covid Vaccines For Pregnant Women - Royal College of Midwives - https://www.rcm.org.uk/covid-vaccines-for-pregnant-women

UK Gov advice - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees

Oxford University Study - https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-07-30-new-data-show-rise-hospital-admissions-unvaccinated-pregnant-women

BBC News - Fertility and miscarriage claims fact-checked - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57552527