Should you get the COVID-19 Vaccine if trying to fall pregnant?

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.

This means you do not need to pause your fertility journey before or after the vaccination.

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 COVID-19 are significantly higher for pregnant individuals and their unborn baby.

Global surveillance data from large numbers of pregnant individuals have not identified any significant safety concerns with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines given at any stage of pregnancy. Pfizer (Comirnaty) and Spikevax (Moderna) are mRNA vaccines.

No evidence has been found suggesting that individuals who become pregnant after being vaccinated against COVID-19 are linked to an increased risk of developing complications affecting their pregnancy or their baby’s health.

Furthermore, there is evidence that infants may be offered protection against COVID-19 through passive immunity due to antibodies found in cord blood and breastmilk.

With the COVID-19 vaccination, it is important to note that the first dose may only provide partial protection against COVID-19, 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.

I encourage all individuals to discuss their decision in relation to the timing of vaccination with their health professional first.

For further information about other COVID-19 vaccines and the latest advice please follow the links provided below

• Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists: COVID-19 Vaccination in pregnant and breastfeeding individuals
• American Society for Reproductive Medicine: COVID-19 updates and resources
• Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists: COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding 
• Australian Government Department of Health: COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant individuals
• Australian Government: COVID-19 vaccination decision guide for individuals who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy