Explained: Do COVID-19 vaccines affect chances of pregnancy?

By Associated Press

No, there’s no evidence that any vaccines, including
COVID-19 vaccines, influence your chances of getting pregnant despite a myth
suggesting otherwise. Medical experts say there’s no biological reason the shots
would affect fertility. And real-world evidence offers more assurance for
anyone worried about their chances of conceiving: In Pfizer’s study, a similar
number of women became pregnant in the group given the vaccine as in the group
given dummy shots.

Researchers are starting to study anecdotal reports of
short-term changes to periods after the vaccine, but there’s no indication so
far that the shots put fertility at risk, said Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a gynecologist
and professor at the Yale University School of Medicine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
obstetrician groups also recommend COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant individuals,
who have a higher risk of severe illness if infected with the coronavirus.
Research shows pregnant people who get the virus are more likely to be admitted
to intensive care, receive invasive ventilation and die than their nonpregnant
peers.

The CDC also followed tens of thousands of pregnant women
who got the vaccines and found they had comparable pregnancy outcomes to
pregnant women before the pandemic.

So whether you are thinking about having a baby, trying to
conceive or undergoing fertility treatments, you should not delay vaccination,
says Dr. Denise Jamieson, chair of the department of gynecology and obstetrics
at Emory University School of Medicine.