Can COVID-19 Vaccine Affect Your Chances of Pregnancy?

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply impacted India, transforming lifestyles as a result of lockdowns, and constant alterations to daily routines, work, and communication. However, amid the chaos of the challenging times, the vaccine's approval offered hope for some stability. This made India witness one of the fastest vaccination campaigns in the world.¹

However, it is okay to feel sceptical about vaccines and dive deep into the background information about their effects, especially while planning a pregnancy. In case you are wondering if the COVID-19 vaccine affects fertility, you have come to the right place. This blog aims to provide a clear understanding of the COVID-19 vaccine and its effects, if any, on your ability to become pregnant.

How Does The COVID-19 Vaccine Work?

Several types of vaccines have been approved across the globe. They can broadly be grouped into three categories based on their composition. A vaccine may either contain the genetic material of the virus (mRNA), a viral protein subunit or a viral vector.²

The main working principle behind all three is common though. They contain material that’s a part of the virus or a modified, deactivated form of the virus. Once injected, our bodies recognise the material as a foreign particle and will build T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that would fight the virus.³ The vaccines train our immune system to identify and clear out the virus before it makes you seriously ill during future encounters.⁴

COVID-19 Vaccine And Pregnancy Planning

COVID-19 can pose severe health risks for pregnant women and their unborn babies.⁵ During pregnancy, COVID-19 can increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, blood clots or preterm labour.⁵ Studies have demonstrated that pregnant women face a heightened risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms if infected, compared to non-pregnant women of similar age.⁶ This is why getting vaccinated before you start planning for pregnancy could be a lifesaving move for you and your future baby!

CDC recommends that everyone except babies below 6 months of age should get their COVID-19 vaccination and boosters.⁷ This includes people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive a child.⁷

Is The COVID-19 Vaccine Harmful For Pregnancy?

There has been a lot of misinformation about the new vaccines since their approval. One of the most common concerns is that the COVID-19 vaccine affects fertility and can be risky for pregnant women as well.⁸ Credible healthcare organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology (ACOG) state that you can receive a COVID-19 vaccination during any trimester. Moreover, there is no evidence of diverse maternal or fetal side effects from vaccinating pregnant individuals.⁹

Does COVID-19 Vaccine Cause Infertility?

During the initial phase of vaccination drives, there was a false notion that the COVID-19 vaccine might attack the placenta’s Syncytin-1 protein which might cause infertility.⁸ However, there is no evidence so far that the COVID-19 vaccine affects fertility.⁷

On the contrary, multiple studies have proven that the vaccination of either partner did not affect the chances of them becoming parents.¹⁰ Moreover, the COVID-19 vaccine does not affect your chances of getting pregnant via IVF or impact male fertility.^11,12

It is only wise to opt for the vaccine as contracting COVID-19 can have severe effects on pregnant women and may also have an impact on male fertility.^13,14

The Bottom Line

We understand that you want to stay informed about the effect of the COVID-19 vaccine on your reproductive health and take all the necessary precautions for a healthy pregnancy. So far, the research and trials demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccines do not have any impact on your chances of pregnancy.

However, if you are still facing some concerns about whether the COVID-19 vaccine affects fertility or not, you should separate myths from facts and speak to your primary physician about your queries. In addition, you can stay informed about your reproductive health by testing your hormones. LifeCell’s OvaScore is an extensive test that checks 9 different female fertility hormones from the comfort of your home. The detailed test results will help navigate your journey towards parenthood.