COVID-19 Vaccination Advice For Our Fertility Patients

Finding out you are pregnant is a wonderful gift and moment in time, however, with the continuous anxiety surrounding us all with COVID-19 and vaccination decisions, we would like to share with you, valuable advice regarding the vaccine for pregnant/breastfeeding women;  from The College of Medicine South Africa (CMSA) as well as the South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SASOG).

The COVID-19 vaccine is strongly encouraged for non-pregnant women contemplating pregnancy and or fertility treatments. If a woman becomes pregnant after the first dose of the COVID vaccine, the second dose should be administered as indicated. COVID-19 vaccines should be offered to all pregnant women after 14 weeks gestation. 

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consider taking the vaccine they are at a high risk of contracting Covid-19, or who may suffer serious complications if they do contract the virus, such as: 

  • Healthcare workers 
  • Essential workers (teachers, police) at the frontline who interact with the public or are in close proximity to many other people 
  • Women who have previously been the recipient of an organ transplant
  • Women with a weakened immune system due to another condition, such as cancer, diabetes or HIV
  • Those who have respiratory problems or suffer from a respiratory disease such as TB, cystic fibrosis or are severely asthmatic 
  • Known with kidney or heart disease 
  • Obesity (BMI > 30kg/m2) 
  • Smokers 

Health care professionals and Fertility Clinics are encouraged to discuss the risks and benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination with their patients; and the conversations should include:

  • The lack of safety data for pregnancy and breastfeeding women
  • The strong immune response conferred to mothers following vaccination
  • The benefits of immune transfer to a newborn child
  • There are no known risks associated with other non-live vaccines given in pregnancy

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine and your fertility journey.

Sources: 

  • CMSA – The College of Medicine South Africa NPC
  • SASOG – The South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists