covid jab and pregnancy uk procedure

[Toria33]

I'm clinically extremely vulnerable and was invited for my covid vaccine days after I had reported to the GP that I am pregnant (3weeks 6 days). When I called the covid vaccine phone line they said the protocol for a phone call with the midwife before booking the jab.. so I had to cancel my jab waiting for the phone call. Has anyone else been in the situation? / know why the phone call is needed?
thanks :)

Heya, I have just had a phone call from my doctor offering me the vaccine. I said no because I am 13 weeks pregnant and I am high risk. I told them I didn't want it due to putting baby at risk as I don't have an immune system to protect baby from any side effects it may cause and she agreed with me saying there wasn't enough research to say how safe it was. I wasn't sent a letter or told to call the covid helpline. I would definitely speak with your midwife before getting the jab as I think she will be more insightful.

After reading your message I am so confused if I made the right choice. I have been told the same from all professions I am involved with that it's not a good idea but if you have been told all of this information I am considering reconsidering. So many doctors and other practises say different information on regards to the covid vaccination and pregnancy I am completely lost! I might seek medical advice else where

I'm really shocked as I was advised differently when we mentioned trying in December. I was told that during the initial vaccine administration that tones of women had had the jab and there was no evidence of adverse effects and that it would be safe.
You are completely correct that our immune systems are completely different than the pregnant nurses and doctors who already received the jab (and even they haven't delivered babies yet)
I'm really grateful for you sharing your experiences I do feel at the very least I will wait until after 10 weeks but wish to talk to my midwife.
the woman on 119 was very vocal about saying that no woman should book their jab without talking to a midwife first and that midwives were supposed to be trained in how to approach this.. my gp surgery knew nothing about it though.

Hi All, I found this helpful when deciding.

www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/should-you-get-covid19-vaccine-while-pregnant-heres-what-experts-say?cmpid=int_org=ngp::int_mc=website::int_src=ngp::int_cmp=amp::int_add=amp_readtherest

It links to some of the newer data and evidence for vaccinations during pregnancy.

I believe the green book was updated in early February to explain that decisions should be taken on an individual basis if ecv or at higher risk of exposure.

I’ve had mine as I’m a HCP, final trimester, still working. Had it in second trimester but my understanding is that they are always more cautious in first and last (as first could link to data on loss, and last to data on premature birth, neither of which they can predict, so would be correlation rather than causation if that makes sense?).

For what it’s worth: I simply turned up to my appointment with a visible bump. Said I wanted the vaccine and had done my reading and weighed it up. And was vaccinated! No doctor or midwife needed.

I did try to speak with mine but both told me incorrectly “it’s not advised in pregnancy due to lack of data”, and both talked about guidance they had been issued last year! Which given the consistently updating science meant they were very out of date with current research and recommendations.

It's just not a good time when everything is developing like you said. Waiting 7 weeks+ won't hurt.
Apologies for grouping doctors and nurses as non cevp, people can be in lots of categories and criss over your completely right.

I am 35 weeks and have been offered the vaccine due to being CEV, I spoke to the midwife and she is going to try and get a doctor to call me to discuss it, but that won’t be for about a week. I am likely to deliver by 39 weeks at the latest so I am wondering now if I should just wait till after that. On the other hand if I get it by 37 weeks I may have a little bit of protection by the time I am admitted. I think I have decided that having it while breastfeeding is probably something I feel comfortable with, but still unsure about before.

Do let me know what you gp says. It's difficult at all stages to know what to do as it's not a normal flu vaccine..

I am 22w pregnant and not CEV / CV but did ask my midwife about the vaccine at the 16w appointment because i would like to have the vaccine as soon as possible. She sent me this link from the RCOG, which i found really useful. Sharing here in case it helps. 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/

The top 3 points as at 11 Feb were:

• The latest advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is that COVID-19 vaccines should be considered for pregnant women when their risk of exposure to the virus is high and cannot be avoided, or if the woman has underlying conditions that place her at a very high risk of complications of COVID-19.COVID-19
• Vaccines should only be considered for use in pregnancy when the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks for the woman and her baby.

-Women should discuss the benefits and risks of having the vaccine with their healthcare professional and reach a joint decision based on individual circumstances.

I wasn’t sure what to do either but I’m going ahead with it in the second trimester. The US, Israel and Ireland are recommending it for all pregnant women. In Ireland they are saying wait until the second trimester. On balance I think with my job and my kids at school it would only be a matter of time before I’d catch covid, which I feel would be worse for me and the baby than the vaccine. I read an interesting article that even said you should get vaccinated as soon as you can- it pointed out that whilst the first trimester is the most important for the developing foetus and therefore most people would want to wait until the second trimester for the vaccine, that catching covid in the first trimester could also be more dangerous. I think it had to do with the fever that you might get and the challenge of keeping it down. It’s so hard though when the advice isn’t 100 percent clear! Everyone has to make their own choice though and it will depend on your circumstances and ability to avoid the virus. Good luck whatever you decide. My midwife was fully supportive of it.

My midwife told me yesterday that they're not allowed to give an opinion or discuss the vaccine with their patients, but as I'm an immunologist there isn't much she could have told me about it anyway. I'm CV and expecting a call any day to get the vaccine and I'll be getting it. The known risks of covid outweigh the theoretical risks of the vaccine, I've reassured myself that it's right for me.

The vaccine is monitored using the yellow card scheme in the UK. The last time I looked at it which had data to mid February, the reactions recorded in pregnancy were pretty much identical for non-pregnancy, same rates of stiff arms/sore injection site etc. And pregnancy outcome rates were the same for those who had the vaccine and not - no increase in miscarriage. The US has vaccinated around 20k women when I'd last looked in January and again recorded the same - but they actively called their pregnant vaccine receivers which makes it a much stronger data set.

This is definitely such a complex decision to make but reading all of your messages I am going to get the vaccine. I'm getting my 14 week scan next week to make sure everything is going well due to losing a twin in December and other complications. If all is well then I am booking my vaccination as I can't risk anything happening to baby. I also have 3 kids at home and need to protect them against it as well. Thanks for all the messages as they really helped me make the right decision after so many different opinions from doctor's etc. For everyone who has had the vaccine, did anyone have any temp or sickness?

@MissingCoffeeandWine did you get pfizer or Astra zeneca. I got offered Astra zeneca and declined as need to do research. Would have felt more comfortable with pfizer as most pregnant ladies in US have had pfizer or moderna and hcp in uk have had pfizer. Being around 17 weeks am worried about getting a high fever or rigor after the jab. Its stupid but I wasn't sure I wanted to be the first one to try it out

Hi Tikha,

I had AZ as that was what was on offer on the day. I had very little side effects. Had the vaccine at 10am, after the day of work had a thumping headache (but that could also be bump) so took paracetamol and had an early night. Felt as per normal the next day.

I may have felt more comfortable with AZ as I have friends in the Irish health service that have taken it in pregnancy. Also, knowing it’s more of a traditional vaccine structure was reassuring for me.

But I really do respect that it’s an individual decision.

@MissingCoffeeandWine am not averse to taking it. Just wanted to research it more. Thanks for getting back to me.. Useful information. If you don't mind me asking have there people who have taken it early in the second trimester.

I still think I need to wait until the second trimester, I had a chemical last month so I don't want to add anything extra into the mix this early. I personally can't have anything but the AZ due to having epipens.. I'm shocked the midwife isn't allowed to have advice as they said it's meant to be protocol for women offered the jab to have an appointment first.. I wish I had had that woman on the phone first time I called I could have had the jab months ago.

I'm 6 weeks pregnant and in a total spin about whether to have my COVID vaccine. It's my second (Astra Z), and having listened to ALL the advice out there, I cant find anything on the potential risk to development in the first 12 weeks. Every bit of official medical advice (uk) says it's down to the mother to decide. What's worse is that I've had two GPs saying go for it, and two others saying the official advice is to wait until after the first trimester. Mentally I'm not sure I can cope with another two months distancing, no swimming pool, seeing friends etc, and I want the jab - but I'm just missing the science that says inactive vaccines do or dont impact development. I know its complicated, as everyone is covering their asses in this case, but I'm wondering what anyone has found on the 12 week stage re vaccines and going through the same thing? I want to make the right choice. Thank you