Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Vaccine and pregnancy - GD

12 replies

cgirl16 · 25/02/2021 18:44

I’ve had a look but can’t see a specific thread on this subject yet.
I’m around 33 weeks pregnant with DC3, was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes at 28 week. Diet controlled so far with no readings outside the guidelines and no issues with the baby’s size so as far according to extra scans.
I received a shielding email today - was expecting from GD UK guidelines and Mumsnet - and was told to expect a vaccine appt soon.
I am the most pro vax person you can imagine but even I am a bit concerned about getting a new vaccine that’s not currently advised in pregnancy. Can anyone who’s had it in pregnancy share what they’ve been told to reassure me? I know they can’t guarantee safety as it’s not been around long enough but I don’t know whether to just shield for the next few weeks and keep fingers crossed I don’t get it (tricky with two older DC going back to school!) or to get the vaccine as advised.

OP posts:
cgirl16 · 26/02/2021 05:15

Hopeful bump!

OP posts:
cgirl16 · 26/02/2021 18:35

Anyone....?!

OP posts:
oldegg123 · 26/02/2021 19:22

So I can't speak for myself as not pregnant but current guidance is to have the vaccine if you're CEV or at high exposure risk (e.g., doctor, HCP). In addition, pregnant women who aren't in either of the categories but would like to be vaccinated are advised to talk over the pros and cons with their GPs.

Basically - there's no suggestion it will be harmful in pregnancy (theoretically or from similar vaccines), but it simply can't be licensed until proven safe. Here's the official advice from RCOG:

www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/coronavirus-covid-19-pregnancy-and-womens-health/covid-19-vaccines-and-pregnancy/covid-19-vaccines-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding/

COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that are known to be harmful to pregnant women or to a developing baby. Studies of the vaccines in animals to look at the effects on pregnancy have shown no evidence that the vaccine causes harm to the pregnancy or to fertility.

"The COVID-19 vaccines that we are using in the UK are not ‘live’ vaccines and so cannot cause COVID-19 infection in you or your baby. Vaccines based on live viruses are avoided in pregnancy in case they infect the developing baby and cause harm. However, non-live vaccines have previously been shown to be safe in pregnancy (for example, flu and whooping cough). Pregnant women are offered other non-live vaccines, such as those against flu."

oldegg123 · 26/02/2021 19:24

For what it's worth in your situation I'd choose to have it, and quite a few of my clinical colleagues who are pregnant have also chosen to do so. Hope everything goes well and you have a smooth and easy pregnancy whatever you decide!

Gastonimo · 26/02/2021 19:59

I had a baby in September and had GD which was diet controlled. The general advice at the beginning was the shield and but then the guidance relaxed a little. I didn't strictly shield but when everyone I know gave up social distancing throughout the summer I kept away.
I may be wrong but I believe the reason is the GD people are more likely to go on to develop diabetes and often have higher BMI etc. I've heard a lot from people who've had GD years ago and received shielding letters. (I haven't and checked with my GP and they said i hadn't been flagged).

With regards to the vaccine, Prof JVT was explaining on Good Morning Britain the other day that its just because they wouldn't start clinical trials on pregnant women but inevitably some women in the trial fall pregnant and they are no reason to believe its not safe.

Speak to your GP and see what they recommend. You can always wait until after baby is here before being vaccinated.

cgirl16 · 26/02/2021 20:05

Thank you so much all. Really appreciate the replies.

OP posts:
mummabubs · 26/02/2021 20:19

I've had it at 26 weeks pregnant (second dose next week) entirely through me requesting it as I'm eligible as a frontline nhs worker. I even tried to be included in our local research trial, but was understandably excluded.

Part of my weighing up process when deciding whether to persue having the vaccine is that it's not recommended as routine use in pregnancy purely because they cannot test it on pregnant ladies already, so although data and research has not thrown up anything that suggests it wouldnl cause harm, they also can't say to what degree there is risk due to lack of research data.

I looked into what the vaccines were modelled on (I've had the Pfizer) and realised that despite the media spin of them being brand new rushed vaccines the science that they are based on is not new. Also, having worked in research myself in the past, a lot of the time an intervention may be developed relatively quickly but it's obtaining the funding and setting up trials that takes a long time- both of which have been sped up due to the natire of Covid being a worldwide crisis.

Due to my job (I work on a ward where we've had covid several times) I felt I was more likely to potentially catch it than the average member of the public and in weighing up risk I felt catching covid in later pregnancy seemed more risky to me.

Lastly, I told myself that pregnant women are actively encouraged to have certain vaccines, such as flu and whooping cough.

Sorry, that's a massive ramble! I don't have GD but I do have other pregnancy-related issues that mean I'm closely monitored and so far there have been no obvious effects to either me or bubba from having the vaccine. At the end of the day though it's entirely your choice to make! Smile

mummabubs · 26/02/2021 20:19

Damn the android app for removing my paragraphs!! 🤦🏻‍♀️

cgirl16 · 27/02/2021 07:44

Thanks so much @mummabubs that’s really helpful! Did you choose to have the Pfizer one or was that just the one that was on offer?

OP posts:
CeibaTree · 27/02/2021 07:49

If you are worried about the Pfizer vaccine as it's based on new technology, ask to have the Oxford AZ one that's based on tried and tested vaccine type.

mummabubs · 27/02/2021 11:56

I didn't have a choice of vaccine but can honestly say I would have happily received either Smile

Ladder789 · 03/11/2021 22:50

Can I ask... how is GD diet controlled?
I am 15 weeks with twins and am thinking I should be starting to think about this now...as a preventative measure hopefully.
GD seems quite common with twins so I certainly don't want to encourage it through poor diet choices.
What should I be avoiding?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread