COVID vaccine while pregnant

[Purpleflowers21]

Morning ladies.

Just wondering if anyone has had the vaccine while pregnant? I know it’s advised not to unless your a front line healthcare worker (which I am) and it that case you are at higher risk of catching COVID and therefore the vaccine should be considered.
In my at reaching out to anyone in a similar situation as I really don’t know what to do for the best x

Think it depends which country you are in. From 28 weeks in UK NHS you have to work from home. My midwife said they would only advise in very high risk categories while pregnant- had a transplant, or have CF etc.

I'd do it, more afraid of getting the virus (I'm 35 weeks) than the vaccine.

I haven't had it. I've been redeployed away from the confirmed cases and have no additional risk factors so for now I'm comfortable not having the vaccine just yet. Its a hard choice to make, and if I was still working with confirmed COVID I may have made a different decision.

Hello,
I am in the same situation. I work in a frontline role and don’t want to tell my boss quite yet to be redeployed elsewhere.
I have been offered the vaccine this afternoon and don’t know what to do!

I'm not a frontline worker but I have underlying health conditions. My specialist advised me that once I'm elligible I should consider getting it, and that the combination of being pregnant and having an underlying condition + covid would be much more risky than getting the vaccine. I've read a few reports and blogs on it since then and agree that I would like to get it if available, and have also seen that getting it can help a baby to build immunity. Maybe this isn't helpful to you given my health history, but as another pregnant lady I have no qualms and was told it would be safer to get it.

Similar to @WolfMother326 I also have an underlying condition that makes me high risk. Once it’s available to my group I will be getting it. I have read that if you are getting it, it’s preferable to get it between 14-33 weeks. This is as the vaccine may give you a fever for a day or so. Not sure how far along you are but can you discuss with youth midwife or gp?

Your not youth oops!

@LouP92 I’m the same as you, I didn’t think we’d be offered it this soon so thought I’d have more time before having to tell anyone. We haven’t been given an appointment yet just been given the paperwork to fill in. What have you decided to do?

@Purpleflowers21 I think I am going to have it. Literally just found out so a bit stressful! The stuff I have read online doesn’t say it is bad, just not enough study. It isn’t a live vaccine so would typically be considered safe. I’m still going to check with the nurse before hand I think

@LouP92 I think I’m leaning the same way as you. If you don’t mind would you update once you’ve spoken to the nurse? X

I wouldn't but I'm not an caregiver in a high risk category.
There just isn't research on the long term effects yet so fetal damage has not been ruled out. Only you can decide if the pros outweigh any possible cons.

@Purpleflowers21 of course!

I'm expecting to be offered it as I'm CEV. I want to discuss it with my midwife but I think I'll have it. As a PP said CEV + pregnancy + covid sounds riskier than the vaccine

I’m a frontline health worker and I won’t be having it. Pregnant women are only advised to have it if they a clinically extremely vulnerable. The rest of my workplace will be having it soon but I’ll definitely wait til after I’ve had my baby, it hasn’t been tested on pregnant women so I would rather wait.

I've just had my vaccination. There was a doctor present to advise and as I work in the community I would be considered high risk of exposure. They cannot decide for you so individual choice but I actually feel relieved!

It's an individual choice but I think if it was me and I would be exposed to covid so frequently/definitely then I would probably get the vaccine.

Just to say when weighing up possible risks (all of which are hypothetical because there's no reason to suspect that these will vaccines cause any problems), it's worth remembering that the baby is fully developed by 10 weeks of pregnancy so medicine exposures after this point cannot cause structural birth defects.

@LouP92 that’s good to know thank you. How far along are you?

I'm 14 weeks, vaccine booked for next week. Low risk pregnancy but high risk of exposure (pregnant women are advised to consider the vaccine if they are clinically extremely vulnerable or if they have high exposure, such as frontline healthcare workers)

It is a personal decision, but it's very unlikely there are any significant risks associated with getting the vaccine. There are established risks associated with catching covid, for me and for the baby.

I work for the NHS and our ward is for patient with Covid. I won't be getting the vaccine until baby is here. That's not until September as still very early!

It's totally your choice, but I just would feel a bit like a Guinea Pig tbh!

At Uni, I did a piece on the Thalidomide cases, where a new drug was administered to pregnant women, and a lot of babies sadly had birth defects due to it.

I am by no means saying this wil happen again, but I personally want to reduce the risk of any 'maybes'

We've had 2 previous MC, perhaps if I hadn't then I might feel differently.

Hi @Purpleflowers21
Obviously everyone is different, and it's up to you and your Dr. However, I just thought I'd respond as I had my first vaccine yesterday at 30+5.
I ended up speaking to 4 Drs in total, 2 pharmacists and the nurse administering and all agreed with my decision to have it.

I'm not front line NHS, so I'm not working from work.
However, as the positive cases are rising in my dept, my partner works in the same place and we live in accommodation with other healthcare workers I felt it was the best option for me.

My 2and dose has been delayed a week so hopefully baby has arrived by then.
My only real worry was having the 2nd dose before my due date and then spiking a temp.
Last thing I want is partner banned because they think I have covid!!!!

Absolutely not. I’m 33 weeks. Also a HCP (not at the moment) but won’t be having it after pregnancy either

@Belle1983 that’s interesting the number of people you spoke to thank you for that!

No. I'm 26 weeks and an HCP working on covid wards (although not ICU ). I won't be having the vaccine until baby has arrived. My trust won't give it to me as im pregnant with no other risks (other than very mild asthma).
The rest of my team are starting to have the vaccine now.

I'm 24 weeks and CV, and I am keen to get my vaccine. It will give my baby some immunity if I can get it prior to giving birth. My background is in immunology, studying vaccines, and I have read about the Pfizer and Oxford vaccines and have reassured myself that any unresearched risks of the vaccine are far outweighed by the risks of covid.

Comparisons to thalidomide are hugely out of date. That was part of the reason they do such stringent safety testing, and that was a drug that was given daily (and it only had an effect on foetal development if taken between 20-37 days after conception, which is when the structures were developed) versus a short term vaccine, which works by activating your own immune system. It's comparing two completely different things.