Covid Vaccine at 27 Weeks - what to do?!

[MintGreenLife]

I was called by my GP today to say they have been instructed to offer the jab to all pregnant patients. I'm 27+3 today, so just about to enter the third trimester when it's suggested that you can suffer more serious illness with Covid. I'm due on the 1st of August.

I am completely torn about what to do. On the one hand knowing I have some protection against covid and that maybe the baby would have some protection too would be a real weight off my mind, but at the same time, how on earth can I be sure that having the jab might not have long term implications for baby, surely there is no way of knowing?!

I work from home, get click and collect for food shop, order most things online. Have been meeting up with family outdoors since it's been allowed, in laws are jabbed. Only main concern at the moment is my SIL is expecting and due in 2 weeks, and so main possible risk would be from DH holding his new niece/nephew, who may very well be held by lots of other people! I myself have no underlying health conditions, normal BMI etc. This is my first baby.

Would love to know what everyone else is thinking/will be doing?!

I’m TTC right now and have thought about this too as I’ll be one of the last groups to be vaccinated anyway, unless I fall pregnant them if they’re offering it now sounds like will be sooner.

I think I’d be extra cautious. I have a little peace of mind knowing the transmission is less now that people are being vaccinated, however I do worry about complications should I get it while pregnant. Obviously not being pregnant yet I haven’t actually done any hardcore research, that just my personal and unbiased opinion at the moment. I’m sure once I’ve read into it more and sorted the pros and cons I’ll know what path I’ll take.

@24GinDrinkingOnceTheKidsInBed it's a complete mind spin to be honest! I'm 32, so I didn't expect to be offered it for a while, so haven't had too much time to think about it or look into it too deeply. The suggestion that there are 'no known' implications from having in pregnancy really concerns me. If I saw something that said it was very similar to having the flu jab or whopping cough (both of which I have had) then I would feel much more confident about it. I think as I can socially distance quite easily maybe it's better not to have it, and even if I had the first dose that wouldn't offer full protection and would have to continue to follow guidelines anyway.

You're right about transmission though. Perhaps if cases stay as low as they are now it's less of a concern anyway, but if they start to go back up can always have a rethink x

I got my vaccine at 21 weeks. There’s a great group on fb which contains lots of women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and who have had the vaccine or are considering it. Lots of evidence based and anecdotal info on there. I personally had it as I’m terrified of having long covid with a newborn and work with clients face to face once a week. I’m also anxious about the new variants coming in once the Govt open everything up. It really does depend on your risk, lifestyle and where you live

@Lenny86 thanks for replying :) do you know what the Facebook group is called? I'm going back and forth at the moment to be honest x

www.facebook.com/groups/433459851127376/?ref=share

@Lenny86 thank you :)

I’m 26 weeks and personally I’m not risking having it. I’m a teacher so the biggest risk of me catching it at the moment is in school. Luckily after 28 weeks I will be working from home and like you, I’m just going to be really careful over the summer even when restrictions are lifted

I am in the same boat but 33 weeks so further along. I've spoken to 3 doctors, all of whom have strongly recommended that I get the vaccine as it's far less risky than catching covid and the evidence coming out of the US is encouraging in terms of safety.
However, I just can't get fully comfortable with the idea. On the one hand, I want to be protected and we know covid is a bigger risk in pregnancy and I don't want to catch it in hospital giving birth and then risk being really sick whilst caring for a newborn. Also, there are reports coming out of the US that you may pass antibodies onto the baby which can only be a good thing for their first few.months of life. But, I cant get rid of the worry that this is a new vaccine - yes, I know everyone says it's been tested and is safe (albeit not on pregnant women which is the same for other vaccines), we just can't possibly know the long term effects and the medical professionals advising us can't either, we just have their best guess.

I really have no idea what I'm going to so. I have my vaccine appt booked for next week but have no idea if I'll actually let them stick the needle in my arm when it comes down to it. The "what if" is just so big.

I had mine last week at 35 weeks (Pfizer). I had to confirm I’d read the RCOG guidance which is here: www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/2021-02-24-combined-info-sheet-and-decision-aid.pdf Felt fine afterwards apart from slightly sore arm- similar to after whooping cough vaccine. I felt the risks from Covid were worse (especially in 3rd trimester) and outweighed risk of vaccine. NHS has updated their guidance based on evidence from USA where 90,000+ pregnant women have been vaccinated.

@sarah13xx well done for making a decision, I’m very on the fence at the moment and keep swinging between the two. As soon as I come to a conclusion I think of an argument against it. We’ve been so careful so far, and to be honest I think I would still be even if I had the vaccine, so wouldn’t make much difference to how we would live over the next few months. So tricky 😔

@MyBabyBoyBlue I pretty much feel exactly the same as you. It’s the risk of the unknown that worries me, it’s a huge responsibility and decision to make. I’ve thought about that too - catching Covid in hospital and not being well enough to care for our new baby. I hadn’t thought too much about any of this to be honest until I got the call today. I didn’t think it would be an option for me until much later in pregnancy if at all. Well done for booking your jab, I may end up doing the same and then trying to decide beforehand.

@Cinnamama thanks so much for sharing the link, I’ll take a look. Think best thing for me is to read as much as I can over the next few days and try to make an informed decision x

Had mine a couple of weeks ago at 28 weeks. I caught covid when I was 10 weeks pregnant and it was absolutely bloody awful. There's no way I want to catch it again in the third trimester where the risks are even more serious.

You’re really lucky to have been offered it, I would love to have it but my GP surgery are totally useless. I’m 37, asthmatic and a teacher and I don’t want to get COVID as I’ve read studies that show that the risk is significantly higher in pregnancy. I’ve been getting breathless enough just going about my daily life so the idea of COVID is worrying. The view of scientists is to definitely have it so i will be trying my best to get it personally.

I'm 26+5 and have an appointment booked for Sunday but I'm still unsure what to do... Gp advised me to take it as said risk of covid is more serious in third trimester im just worried about whether it could affect baby / pregnancy

@SamoyedFan123 thanks for sharing your experience. It’s good to get an idea of what everyone else is doing.

@MissBPotter I have no clue why I’ve been offered it so soon. I’m surprised you haven’t been offered it based on what you’ve said, that’s completely rubbish. I do feel lucky to have been offered it, just need to read into it all to make sure I’m making the right decision for myself & baby x

@Smurf123 I might do the same and book it and figure it out in the meantime! That’s my worry too 😔 x

I had my first AZ vaccine at 20 weeks and will have my second one later this month. No issues with the baby so far.

My reasoning for getting it was that the known complications of covid are more of a risk than any theoretical risks from a vaccine.

I’m looking forward to being fully vaccinated!

@ChuffingHeck it would be a relief to be vaccinated, but then I’m not sure I would manage to get my second jab before baby is due, so may not be fully protected during pregnancy anyway. I totally get what you mean about the known risks of Covid, especially in the third trimester. Just trying to weigh it all up really x

It was a hard decision for me and I definitely had moments of doubt but ultimately I decided there wasn’t any significant risk to my baby.

Another motivation for me was that a local woman caught covid at 31 weeks pregnant and had her baby delivered early, sadly she didn’t survive and left 4 children behind.

I have another child and especially after reading about this story I wanted to do everything I could to reduce my risk of becoming seriously ill or dying of covid and leaving my DC behind. I know the chances are still very low even in the 3rd trimester but that story just really struck me. I’m not trying to scare you at all (sorry if I have!), I think this lady was unfortunately very, very unlucky. Most pregnant women who catch covid will not be seriously unwell and will recover.

Maybe book the appointment and see how you feel in the run up to it? Remember it’s 100% your decision.

@ChuffingHeck you’ve not scared me, as much as the chances are extremely low, of course that can happen, and I have thought about the fact that my health is important too and my baby needs me to be fit and healthy for him. I think I may call back tomorrow and find out how far in advance they are being booked. If more than a week then I think I’ll book and do lots of research in the meantime x

Good luck with your decision! And wishing you well for the rest of your pregnancy

@ChuffingHeck thank you ☺️ You too x

I am an anaesthetist who has taken care of several women who have had covid during their pregnancies or have had to have an emergency section so we can better treat them. I have sadly seen just how devastating this disease can be in pregnancy and if it was my sister I was advising - I would tell her to have it in a heartbeat.

@countbackfromten thank you so much for sharing your experience, it’s really helpful to hear from people who have witnessed the impact Covid can have x

I’ve had both of mine - AZ at 22 and 30 weeks. I was working with high risk covid patients (on CPAP) up to 28 weeks and like @countbackfromten I had looked after a fair few unwell patients who were pregnant, thankfully not in ITU. The risk in the third trimester of getting sick is high enough with my exposure and age to get the vaccine.
I did think about it and take a long time to decide. Good luck with your decision.

@Christmaspuddingsteaminghot thanks for sharing your experience x