20 weeks pregnant and just had my Pfizer vaccine

[Honeycombskl]

After much deliberation I had my covid vaccine yesterday. I had been really on the fence about it, particularly after seeing comments on mumsnet from a lot of people saying they wouldn't get the vaccine while pregnant. I did as much research as I could and decided to get the vaccine.

I really hope I made the right decision but I think I did. Someone commented on a thread here said that contracting covid later in pregnancy is a known serious risk, to both baby and mum, whereas the vaccine is unknown, we don't know the risk so there might be none. That really stuck with me. I'm a teacher so in close contact with children day in, day out, I'm in Moray which has 4x more cases than the rest of Scotland (hence why I was offered it) and the highschool our primary is a feeder to has been in the news due to the high number of children and staff testing positive, we have a number of children here with siblings in that high school or our own staff with children there. My partner works in a role where he is constantly in close contact with different colleagues and workers. With restrictions relaxing alongside all this it seemed like the best decision. If I was in the position to work from home and avoid people until the end of my pregnancy then I would have waited until after to get it but I'm not so I think it's the right thing for me.

Thanks OP for that reasoned last response. I had a long conversation with the doctor at my 20 week scan. As well as weighing up the evidence, he told me about the very unwell pregnant women they’d seen, including those with no underlying conditions. The known risk of Covid is very clear.

I do feel nervous about my choice to have the vaccine but I feel that being protected makes most sense. Having the vaccine in good faith seems more sensible than risking Covid and the risks it could bring to my unborn baby and me.

They haven’t reached milestones. No they haven’t come out with 2 heads (yes I am being facetious with that extreme example) but no one knows any long term reaction yet. Let’s not pretend they do.

Again another extreme example but no one knew the issues caused by Operation Grapple until much later.

It does prevent one issue - given and I don’t want to scare monger but can we stop thinking that reactions/consequences are always instant. They aren’t.

Op, I would have done the same thing in your position.

I’ve just been offered it now but seeing as I’m 40 weeks, I’ve booked it for after the baby. I’m at home though with very minimal exposure.

Thank you @Honeycombskl for this thread. It’s really great to read everyone’s thought processes on this topic.

I myself am 22 weeks pregnant and have been offered my jab but still currently undecided about what to do.

I can go days thinking positively and that I will definitely get the jab, and then I will have serious thoughts about the things @GordonsAliveAndEatsPies states, and these are very real concerns of mine. I do fear that we won’t know about any possible adverse affects on these babies until they are years old.

But, then I have this inner turmoil with myself because I know what covid can actually do to a pregnant woman and unborn baby.

I think I will just have to talk it out with my midwife at my next appointment in a few weeks time. I am lucky in that I live in an extremely low risk, rural area, and that whilst I work in a school, I can stay socially distanced from most people. I am also testing twice weekly, as is my partner.

I’d love to be as brave as you have been as I do feel I want the jab, I just can’t seem to bring myself to do it.

Thank you again though for such a positive post!

I had my first at 22 and second at 30 weeks, AZ as the guidance was different at that point. I was working with covid patients up to 28 weeks and having worked through the last year in ICU have seen what it can do.
The thalidomide argument is a completely different scenario- that was a medication taken daily and would be in the mother’s bloodstream for a prolonged period in the first/second trimester and therefore get through the placenta. Vaccines are safe in pregnancy- flu, whooping cough and many others. The vaccines stimulate a response in the mother’s immune system and the actual vaccine lasts less than a day. The antibodies you make should pass to the baby and give it protection. In fact that it the reason why we have whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy- to protect the baby not the mother. Yes it is a new vaccine but there is no theoretical reason why it should cause any problems with baby.
It is a personal decision and if you can shield from the outside world from 28 weeks then great but most people can’t due to work, children at school etc. Everyone needs to weigh up their own risks of getting covid and their risks of exposure. The RCOG guidance is very useful and does now recommend all pregnant women receive the vaccine due to the very real risk of covid in late pregnancy.

I'm 19 weeks and was just coming on to ask about it, I am 34 so now on the eligible list but I am so conflicted!

Do most people seem to be against having it whilst pregnant?

Can healthcare folk give me some science! :) x

I’m also 19 weeks and 34, have booked my vaccine for Tuesday.

The vaccine is based on the flu vaccine (which is slightly modified each year anyway and routinely offered to pregnant women) and I just can’t see how the covid vaccine is likely to be any different or have a negative affect on my baby.

Having had COVID already, I can tell you that I definitely do not want it again, especially while I am pregnant. I’ve worked in several ITUs caring for pregnant women (albeit not with COVID) and if I can avoid that for myself and my baby, I desperately want to.

For me, it’s a no brainer.

I was just sat in the queue to book and backed out, but am back queueing now @ChelseaCat - I am taking your message as a sign!

Is there a way you can know / specifically book the Pfizer?

@Amz6219 pregnant women should only have pfzizer or moderna. If you get there and they only have az for some reason you can refuse and re book x

They haven’t reached milestones. No they haven’t come out with 2 heads (yes I am being facetious with that extreme example) but no one knows any long term reaction yet. Let’s not pretend they do.

Again, you're comparing a 'what if', scenario to the known risks and complications of covid, both long and short term.

We don't know about this specific vaccine, but it was developed based on other mRNA vaccines, which also also relatively new, there is data around dating back the last few years. This is quite helpful-
www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/12/vaccinating-pregnant-and-lactating-patients-against-covid-19
And this part tells you how the Pfizer vaccine works_
These vaccines consist of messenger RNA (mRNA) encapsulated by a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) for delivery into the host cells. These vaccines utilize the body’s own cells to generate the coronavirus spike protein (the relevant antigens), which, similar to all other vaccines, stimulates immune cells to create antibodies against COVID-19. The mRNA vaccines are not live virus vaccines, nor do they use an adjuvant to enhance vaccine efficacy. These vaccines do not enter the nucleus and do not alter human DNA in vaccine recipients. As a result, mRNA vaccines cannot cause any genetic changes (CDC, Zhang 2019, Schlake 2012). Based on the mechanism of action of these vaccines and the demonstrated safety and efficacy in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, it is expected that the safety and efficacy profile of the vaccine for pregnant individuals would be similar to that observed in non-pregnant individuals. That said, there are no safety data specific to mRNA vaccine use in pregnant or lactating individuals and the potential risks to a pregnant individual and the fetus are unknown.

So, yes, not everything is known about it, but weighing up what we do know about it with the risks (short and long term) of contracting covid when pregnant, explains the reason why the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is now advising that pregnant women are offered the vaccine. They didn't advise this from the beginning and waited until enough was known before doing so.

If you don't want to get the vaccine that's your choice, but for me and many other pregnant women, going by what we know so far about covid and the vaccine, getting it is the right choice to make.

Is there a way you can know / specifically book the Pfizer?

It seems to depend on where you are but when you get to the front tell them that you're pregnant and can't have astrazeneca, some places seem to have a store of pfizer for those who can't have it. Where I got mine pregnant women immediately got pfizer, as did under 40s, over 40s were being given astrazeneca.

Ah ok, so just wait and see when I get there - rebook if no Pfizer

Thanks! I'm booking on now... x

Here in Scotland everyone under 40 is being offered Pfizer, pregnant or not.

I'm on the fence as I'm pretty low risk of catching covid, rates are low here and I'm WFH etc. I am taking the whooping cough vaccination and I always get the flu vaccine so I know logically this is not different. It just feels different.

Just to chip in about thalidomide as well - this was a long time ago when women didn’t have the scans they have now. If any deformities like that were happening now they would be spotted at scans rather than at birth as they were with thalidomide.

As others have noted as well - thalidomide was a daily medication and we’re talking about vaccines here, yes we don’t know 100% but scientists have said already that there is no known mechanism in the vaccines that could have any adverse effects on development, and these types of vaccines are widely used so generally we know a lot about how they work.

@Amz6219 well done for getting back on to it!

I seem to recall that no one under 40 is being offered AZ now, so shouldn’t be a problem 🤞🏼

Mines tomorrow and I'm having a wobble. I read a thread on side effects and that's worried me now.

Indeed, you do you and if you want an echo chamber talk to yourself in the mirror

Most of the reasons that people are citing for not getting the vaccine are based on a feeling of fear related to the unknown risks to the baby.

Theoretically and scientifically there is currently no reason to expect their to be a risk from the vaccine. Unfortunately the data is not there to tell us that there is no risk definitively.

I get it - my rationale brain says get the vaccine, but emotionally I don’t feel so sure! I am going later today though.

Re the booking - I spoke to my GP practice and they were able to tell me when there was a Pfizer clinic and booked me directly. At my 20 week scan I was given a letter to take to the vaccine clinic to state that I should be having the Pfizer.

Indeed, you do you and if you want an echo chamber talk to yourself in the mirror

Literally in the first post of this thread I've said it's a personal decision and people will decide based on their own circumstances and what's right for them. Another poster said they might not get the vaccine as they're working from home and not high risk, I completely understand that but it's not the position that I, or many others, are in so we are doing what we believe is right for us and our babies based on our knowledge of covid and the vaccine. Not going to get drawn into childish 'talk to yourself in a mirror' statements, I spend all day working with kids.

I get it - my rationale brain says get the vaccine, but emotionally I don’t feel so sure! I am going later today though.

I felt the same and even immediately after I felt a bit, 'have I done the right thing?' but I feel quite happy that it was the right thing for me now. Like you say, it's a fear related to unknown risks, but those risks might not actually exist, but somehow the thought or worry of them existing feels quite powerful.

You definitely did the right thing OP.

Good for you OP
As a health professional I agree with you: it's a personal choice.
There is a lot of information on the PHE, Gov.uk, RCOG and RCM websites.
Congratulations on your pregnancy

Just had my first dose of Pfizer yesterday at 36 weeks , I didn't expect to get a call about it so was quite overwhelming but the relief of having it is something else but definitely the hardest decision I've ever had to make ever !!!
My main reason is that the cases are increasing where I live and the fear of contracting it in the locality or in the hospital , some people said to me just isolate until baby is born but that's not practical when OH is in contact with people even though we are super careful . Also what if I got covid in the hospital or the weeks after the baby is born, so many still underestimating how dangerous it is.

I know it's the unknown affects that are scary but I believe in science and modern medicine and if I didn't get the vaccine and caught covid I would kick myself , you're between a rock and a hard place really .

For anyone on the fence, I highly recommend looking up Stella Creasy's facebook webinar. I was fairly sure I didn't want the vaccine, but have just booked it.

The more I read about the research, the more reassured I felt.

1. They are MRNA vaccines, which do not interact with or effect DNA. They cannot say 100% that it cannot pass through the placenta (as to do that, they would have to remove a human placenta, which is not ethical.) But it has not done so in animal studies, which closely replicate humans. There is also no scientific explanation as to why or how it would.

1. They have vaccinated pregant women as priority in the US, so there is already good data coming out of the US about it. THIS is the reason we are being offered Pfizer or Moderna. Not due to issues with Astra Zeneca, but simply because there is more research with the vaccines used in the US to show no known abnormalities formed through injecting at any point in birth.

1. There is no higher risk of maternal death - but there is a higher risk of a pregnant woman being moved to intensive care... HOWEVER, they stated that is not because it effects pregnant women more, but simply that they need closer monitoring due to the need to act quickly if you deteriorate.

1. Evidence of birthing mothers that are Covid positive shows that yes, premature birth is more likely. Premature labour carries a risk of health issues and birth abnormalities. But in the study I read only raised to 13% from 10%. But that there is an 89% chance of medical intervention/c section. And a higher chance of the baby requiring neo natal care on delivery.

1. I have 2 anecdotal stories of friends that have contracted Covid in the 3rd trimester. Both have been fine - one delivered (by C section whilst on oxygen) and the other is yet to deliver. But both were being careful and working from home, BUT still caught it. My husband works in a school and my daughter is at nursery. I can stay at home as much as I like - but I can't stop it being brought home, like it was for them. The one that hasn't delivered yet needs to inject blood thinners for 2 weeks to prevent clotting in her recovery.

1. I would be really disappointed to "self isolate" all summer to keep myself safe during pregnancy, deliver baby in September and then a. find myself unprotected going into winter or b. find lockdown restrictions come down and I am restricted from socialising again. I feel like my mental health would suffer from that.

Just my learnings/thoughts!

@SillyBry brilliant post there.
Completely agree with you 🙌