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Covid Vaccine before starting a family or not?

25 replies

Flirtybessie · 10/12/2020 15:42

Hi

We want to start a family next year and I'm not sure if I should have the new covid vaccine or not? I've read somewhere that it could affect fertility. I'm only 24 and don't want to risk any chance of not having a family. Any advice

OP posts:
Hayeahnobut · 10/12/2020 15:44

Stop reading conspiracy theories is good advice.

PurpleDaisies · 10/12/2020 15:45

They have said that they don’t know if it will affect fertility because there is no data yet. That’s absolutely standard for any new vaccine. There is no reason to think that it will affect fertility.

If you’re 24, you’re not going to be vaccinated for a long time because you’re at the bottom end of the risk range. You probably won’t be offered thd pfizer vaccine-it will most likely be the Oxford one.

Don’t worry about this now.

Pootle40 · 10/12/2020 15:46

I don't think you will ever be offered a COVID vaccine at your age unless you are vulnerable. That's just me personal view but as other poster said.....not for a long time!

Chimeraforce · 10/12/2020 15:47

Depends if you're vulnerable to covid complications.
I've also heard that covid can affect sperm.

Shmithecat2 · 10/12/2020 15:47

Well, unless you're vulnerable, over 80, or work in certain fields, it won't be offered to you anytime soon, so I wouldn't worry about it for now. Also, what @Hayeahnobut said.

PurpleDaisies · 10/12/2020 15:47

@Chimeraforce

Depends if you're vulnerable to covid complications. I've also heard that covid can affect sperm.
Where’s the source of that?
MrsTerryPratchett · 10/12/2020 15:47

You won't be getting it so it's a moot point.

SmileyClare · 10/12/2020 15:58

I wouldn't make your decision based on something you've heard on the grapevine, read "somewhere" or on the basis of some mumsnetters.

The science behind how a vaccine works means it's incredibly unlikely. I mean China have been trying for years to develop an injection to prevent fertility and have found it impossible so far. It would be worth millions as an alternative to sterilisation!

I agree, you won't be offered a vaccine next year, unless you are extremely clinically vulnerable so it's a moot point.

My advice would be to hold off family planning if you think the economy crash/record levels of redundancy will seriously affect your family's finances in the next year. Having a vaccine would be the least of my concerns. I would have no qualms in being given the vaccine.

I did say not to make decisions based on mumsnet though didn't I? Grin

Chimeraforce · 10/12/2020 16:02

I googled it and can't figure out links. So a photo. That's just one. There's alot.

Covid Vaccine before starting a family or not?
SmileyClare · 10/12/2020 16:07

Chimera you could fill pages with possible covid complications and post viral symptoms. It's a heinous virus.

This is the reason most people are overjoyed at the roll out of a licensed vaccine, I can never understand why some people want to "take their chances with the virus" Confused

Sofornow1 · 10/12/2020 16:22

There is no evidence covid impacts on fertility. Are you confusing this with advice not to take the vaccine if you are TTC within 3 months of taking it? If you are waiting a year to start a family you can assess whether you fit that criteria and also if messaging has changed as that just refers to Pfizer for now.

Interestingly re fertility and actual covid. I am pretty sure I had covid end Feb just before testing came in. Had all the symptoms and v sick for about 4 days. I was due to start IVF so had some blood tests done which showed inflammation (CRP) in my body was sky high. I delayed ivf a month and did the round where I got only 4 eggs and although they all fertilised they collapsed on day 2.

Waited another 4 months then did two rounds in quick succession and made 5 top quality blasts

I wish I knew if it had been covid as it does seem that illness totally messed up my response and egg quality and 4 months later I was much improved (same protocol same vitamins with each round)

Flirtybessie · 10/12/2020 17:04

Thanks for the info, I think I'll give the Pfizer one a miss if I'm ever offered it. If the government say they don't know, then..

www.gov.uk/.../regulatory-approval-of-pfizer...
The first document- info for health professionals on the the vaccine makes an interesting read. Especially that little bit about “fertility” on page 6… So they don’t know if it will affect fertility.

Also point 2 one here
dryburgh.com/mike-yeadon-coronavirus-vaccine-safety-concerns-petition/

The vaccinations are expected to produce antibodies against spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2. However, spike proteins also contain syncytin-homologous proteins, which are essential for the formation of the placenta in mammals such as humans. It must be absolutely ruled out that a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 could trigger an immune reaction against syncytin-1, as otherwise infertility of indefinite duration could result in vaccinated women.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 10/12/2020 17:06

The first document- info for health professionals on the the vaccine makes an interesting read. Especially that little bit about “fertility” on page 6… So they don’t know if it will affect fertility.

There is no reason to think it will.

That placental spike protein scare story has been debunked elsewhere.

PurpleDaisies · 10/12/2020 17:07

Thanks for the info, I think I'll give the Pfizer one a miss if I'm ever offered it. If the government say they don't know, then...

Every vaccine will say the same. This is not specific to the Pfizer vaccine.

JS87 · 10/12/2020 17:11

fullfact.org/health/vaccine-covid-fertility/

Please read this with regards to the Mike Yeadon link above.

For those who don't have time to read the link. The take home point is
A small part of this spike protein resembles a part of another protein vital for the formation of the placenta, called syncytin-1. But the sequence of amino acids that are similar in syncytin-1 and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is quite short.

But only two very small parts of these proteins look the same—it’s not the whole protein—and therefore realistically the body’s immune system is not likely to confuse the two, and attack syncytin-1 rather than the spike protein on SARS-CoV-2 and stop a placenta forming.

What do the experts say?
Virology professor Ian Jones at the University of Reading told Full Fact, via the Science Media Centre, that the spike protein and syncytin-1 don’t look similar enough for the same antibodies that the body would create as an immune response to the vaccine, to bind to and attack syncytin.

He said syncytin-1 is “completely unrelated to the SARS [spike] protein” and the risk of infertility is “therefore essentially fictitious.”

Professor Jonathan Stoye, Virologist at the Francis Crick Institute, told Full Fact these proteins are not identical, as some have claimed.

On whether the vaccine could cause an immune reaction to the syncytin-1 protein vital for placenta formation, he said: “I would never say never, but the possibility is vanishingly small.”

Stellaris22 · 10/12/2020 17:13

Ignore this thread.

Another account created just to spread false information.

JS87 · 10/12/2020 17:19

Also, if what you posted from Mike Yeadon was correct then the same issue would arise with natural covid infection so you'd better avoid that as well.
However, as the proteins aren't actually that similar there is no reason to be concerned.
Furthermore, MIke Yeadon has also made other false claims such as that the UK has reached herd immunity.

If you are worried about covid and fertility then the most concerning thing so far is that covid infection appears to cause inflammation in the testes in some patients and affect sperm production. I'm sure it's probably not long-term damage and the numbers affected may be small but it has been reported.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=covid%20spermatogenesis&sort=date

Sofornow1 · 10/12/2020 18:06

@Flirtybessie I responded to you in good faith when clearly this is another scaremongering thread. There is no evidence it impacts on fertility as they would need to do a full scale RCT to find this out for sure. The protein spike thing has been disproved as nonsense.

Stop scaremongering.

SmileyClare · 10/12/2020 18:08

@Stellaris22

Ignore this thread.

Another account created just to spread false information.

Hmm yes I'm a little cynical with these threads that start all faux innocently. Perhaps you don't have an agenda Op but you've clearly made your mind up already.

It's your choice but anti vax threads generally spread fear and can be full of misinformation.

Good luck with TTC. Smile

Bacter · 10/12/2020 18:10

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Jobsharenightmare · 10/12/2020 18:14

Any thread that starts with oh I'm not sure please inform me then turns into the OP clearly pushing their POV suggests it's scaremongering to me.

MrsTerryPratchett · 10/12/2020 18:28

@Stellaris22

Ignore this thread.

Another account created just to spread false information.

It starts off all wide-eyed and disingenuous then straight to the same out of context scientific-sounding but misunderstood stuff.

Do they script these or are they just copying each other?

Stellaris22 · 10/12/2020 18:52

I'm starting to think it's pre scripted so it's ready to be copy and pasted into forums like this.

New accounts being created to post this rubbish where the only intent is to scare monger is disgusting.

Why do this though?

SmileyClare · 10/12/2020 18:54

Agree MrsTP although some of the anti vax posters bring out their sock puppets for their "science" bit. Always about half way down page 1 Grin

MrsTerryPratchett · 10/12/2020 19:12

Can't they just spend their days in the Daily Mail comments section? I'm getting a little boated of it.

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