By Professor Bill Ledger, Internationally renowned fertility specialist at Rainbow Fertility Sydney CBD
If you are planning on expanding your family or are currently pregnant, you are probably wondering if it is safe to have the COVID-19 vaccine. As we want you to feel as empowered as possible when making this important decision, we have summarised the current medical advice to help you make an informed decision.
The current advice is that those planning a pregnancy or currently pregnant can receive the Pfizer mRNA (Cominarty) or Spikevax (Moderna) vaccine.
You are also not required to have a pregnancy test before getting vaccinated. Vaccination is recommended as the potential risk of severe outcomes associated with actually contracting the disease is significantly higher for pregnant individuals and their unborn babies.
No evidence has been found suggesting that individuals who become pregnant after being vaccinated against the disease are linked to an increased risk of developing complications affecting their pregnancy or their baby’s health.
With the vaccination, it is important to note that the first dose may only provide partial protection against the disease, and this protection may be short-lived. You will only have maximum protection after two doses given at least three weeks apart.
These recommendations follow advice provided by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG).
To view the RANZCOG guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding individuals and those planning pregnancy, please visit https://ranzcog.edu.au/statements-guidelines/covid-19-statement/covid-19-vaccination-information for more detailed information.
For further information about other vaccines and the latest advice, please follow the links provided below:
