COVID vaccine whilst pregnant?

[TravellingJack]

I'm 9 weeks along, had my first midwife appts last week, mostly on the phone then a short face to face to do bloods etc. At that appt she offered and then gave me the flu vaccine. She then spoke about the COVID vaccine and said that at the moment the guidance seems to be changing so fast that she can't say, but thinks it's unlikely I'll be offered it whilst pregnant.

Now, I realise it's not exactly the same as the flu vaccine (although I don't know the details), and I don't have any underlying health conditions so probably wouldn't be getting the COVID vaccine til autumn even if not pregnant (and my area seems to be very slow compared to some so who knows when it would be!).

I'm just wondering if anyone has come across anything useful on whether the vaccine is likely to be made available to pregnant women. Everything I've googled suggests not, but in my general ignorance, I wondered why it's any less safe than having the flu vaccine... and surely it would protect the baby too?

Firstly congratulations 😊 I have my booking appointment today, when the doctors rang me to confirm appointment they said had I been contacted for covid vaccine as I am category 6 (high risk which I didn’t even know) I said I hadn’t, receptionist said she would check with the gp to see if I could have it whilst pregnant and they got back to me petty quickly and said no , not whilst pregnant even though I’m apparently high risk

Hi OP, I'm 32 weeks pregnant and have had both doses of the pfizer vaccine through my work as an NHS worker. (I did have to get letters from my consultant saying she was happy for me to have it so still had to fight for it!) Not a silly question at all, to answer your query about safety- We don't know that it's any less safe than having the flu vaccine or any other vaccine available to pregnant women. But because pregnant women couldn't participate in the COVID vaccine trials we also don't have any evidence to say that there are no risks, so it's more a case of erring on the side of caution. For me I felt the risk of covid is a much more known risk to me and my unborn child. In terms of the future I believe all pregnant women who do have the vaccine have their details taken onto a national register, so they'll be able to follow us up and that will eventually give a dataset that hopefully means long-term pregnant women can be offered the vaccine assuming there are no identified risks. ☺️

Oh and just to add even in my trust the rule is still not to have it in the first 12 weeks as that's when baby is doing most of their development, but after that pregnant women can be supported to request the vaccine through consultation with an obstetrician.

Thanks I'm very pessimistic and have had several miscarriages so whilst I'm hopeful this one will stick, I'm prepared for it not to and then all this might be a moot point!

It's reassuring to hear that you have already had it, @mummabubs - so it's not that pregnant women 'aren't allowed', just that it might take some wrangling and depend on circumstances...

I think I'm more worried about the risk of catching COVID and the impact that might have on me and the baby (before or after birth) than the hopefully low risk of having the vaccine, considering that everything I've read suggests it's similar to the flu vaccine, just untested on pregnant women... I'm generally quite risk averse so not keen in theory on being a guinea pig, but I think the risk of what COVID could do if I'm unlucky is more worrying tbh.

With most new medicines/vaccines, it's difficult to get ethical approval to test it on pregnant women. The woman can consent but basically the baby can't, so to get round it drug manufacturers just.... don't test on pregnant women. Because of that they can't say with certainty it is safe as they haven't looked at that specifically. It happens so often in medicine.

The US has been particularly stringent on following up post-vaccine with pregnant women, and has recorded no differences in pregnancy outcomes, and no more frequent adverse reactions (mostly stiff arms!)

During testing, there was no difference in the rate of accidental pregnancies in the test or control group - so this suggests no impact in fertility either.

Personally, having investigated the mechanisms of the vaccine, the risks for me of covid are way worse than any risks that the vaccine may hold. It's not a live virus which are contraindicated for pregnancy. The problem I have is that despite being at risk anyway then at additional risk being pregnant, my GP refuses to let me get it, despite me wanting it and being eligible for it!

I've had both doses of pfizer due to the fact that I'm higher risk - had the first dose at 14 weeks and second at 17 weeks, my consultant wanted me to have it. I think it's worth taking if offered, considering that pregnancy even without combined illness makes you higher risk for a severe case of COVID. I took paracetemol both times to avoid fever as that is generally advised.

I'm desperately trying to get it, as the midwife went through the RCOG checklist and wants me to have it, but my GP refuses to deal with pregnant women, maternity services haven't been authorised to issue letters and nobody will do anything.

I work in a high risk area and was advised by GP to not have it during first trimester and baby is forming still but after that they advised I should consider it so I may well have it.

I had it at 20 weeks a few weeks ago. I have been quite worried about getting covid because I'm a high risk Pregnancy and work as a primary school teacher so I spoke to my consultant in my high bmi appointment and she was happy for me to have it. I then coincidentally got a text from my gp saying I was in group 6 (because of bmi). I rang up and had to assure them my consultant had said it was fine before they would let me book in for it. It said on my notes 'not recommended for vaccination' and I think I was accidentally contacted so I feel quite lucky!
So I had to kind of push it along myself and be a bit tenacious/ lucky but I feel much safer. I have read a lot about it and looked at the US and Israel where they are vaccinating pregnant women.
I haven't actually told lots of people because I'm worried they will be judgemental about the unknown risk. For me I felt like it was the right choice. I felt rough the next day but apparently that is normal and the symptoms were only 24 hours.

I’m 29 weeks and I had my first vaccine today. AstraZeneca. I was invited over text message to book an appointment and after checking with my GP and midwife they were both happy for me to have it. Good luck with your pregnancy 😊

I had it without knowing I was pregnant, not had my 12 week scan yet but had a reassurance scan where things were fine. The midwife told me that if people with underlying conditions can have it the risk can’t be as bad as having covid.

Sorry very anecdotal but it’s reassured me at least haha