Covid vaccine when pregnant

[Rhi146]

Hi everyone! I'm just after some of your opinions about possibly having the vaccine when pregnant. I know the roll out for majority of the population isn't planned for a few months yet but where I work means I'm in one of the initial groups to be vaccinated after its rumoured release next month. I would normally be okay with this however; I'm in my first trimester of pregnancy and a little (very 🙄) concerned that as of yet there have been no trials including pregnant women. How can they know the potential long term affects on baby? This is making me so anxious and worried, I don't know what to do for the best. Thank you

Vaccination is not usually recommended in pregnancy, unless there's a ton of evidence that it is proven safe, and that's not going to be possible for the COVID vaccine for some years yet. I don't think your team would be keen on you having it, but if all of them are eligible you should be protected by the herd's vaccinations.

Maybe ask Mumsnet to move this post to the right board?

XINGMiNG that is simply not true.
OP, lots of vaccines are recommended in pregnancy including the flu jab and whooping cough.
I’ve had both in pregnancy with no issues.
The reason there is no trial data on pregnant women is because it is unethical to put pregnant women into clinical trials to test an experimental vaccine.
When recommending jabs in pregnancy, the JCVI looks at trial data from thousands and thousands of other people to see whether it’s safe.
For example, more than 43,000 people have taken part in the Pfizer vaccine trial with not a single illness from the vaccine. reported.
I would rest assured that if it’s recommended for you, it’s safe.
Please don’t listen to vaccine sceptics on the internet.. turn to trusted sources for this info. And if you’re worried speak to your GP

And just to clarify, the whooping cough jab was recommended in pregnancy without pregnancy trial data

OP, you won't be forced to take it. Not even in the sense of you being prevented from working if you don't take it. And, I think pregnancy is a good reason to decline a new vaccine, do don't worry.

I would not take it while pregnant.

I'm front line NHS and 17 weeks pregnant. I will be refusing it. I'm not high risk is any other way. I'm normal BMI and no health conditions. I am unlikely to become unwell if I caught covid ( if I haven't already had it as I work in a very high risk area ).

Thanks Oly4.

I'm not anti-vax at all, but when I was PG many years (22) ago, I was travelling to Sri Lanka and one of my shots was out of date. My GP and midwife discussed whether it was better to take the risk of going unvaccinated, or to have the shot. I can't remember what it was for now (probably cholera, because that only lasts six months or so), and I have forgotten what we decided too. I'm sure you're right and it would be fine, but given how new it is, I'd probably be cautious.

I’m pregnant and high risk so in my case, if it’s offered to me I will be taking it. For me, catching COVID could kill us both anyway so I feel that the potential benefit will outweigh the risk (of course I will discuss it with my doctor and also review the available data first) I can totally understand why other pregnant ladies won’t get it though, it’s a very personal choice to make and honestly if I wasn’t in the high risk group I would be thinking differently.

Thanks @Quail15, my feelings mirror yours really, I'm also front line and have already had covid once so from my point of view possible cons of having it outweigh the pros for me personally too, look after yourself.

Thank you all for your comments & input, really reassuring to get other peoples opinions on this. Hope your all staying safe.

There is so much around on why these vaccines will be safe if anyone does want to do a trawl. Scientists are on the Today programme on radio 4 daily for example setting out why the timeline for developing a vaccine has gone quickly. And none of the safety steps have been compressed or missed out.
But other things have been massively speeded up - such as manufacturing the vaccine and the fact regulators are looking at all the data as the research goes on rather than waiting til the end as they usually do.
Covid could kill pregnant women - in my view the benefits of vaccination way outweigh any risks (not that any risks have been reported from 43,000 people so far!)