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.

It's hard because when you're pregnant for some reason everyone thinks they can tell you what you should or shouldn't be doing all time

Heads up, that doesn’t stop when you have the baby, it accelerates.

You shouldn’t feel you have to justify yourself. It’s a personal decision of course but I would 100% do the same in your shoes. You work in a pretty high risk job and there are known risks of contracting Covid whilst pregnant (pre-term birth being one of them, which is known to carry many risks).

As you say, it’s a matter of known risks versus risks that may or may not exist (but the best information available indicates they don’t).

I’m in my first trimester. I’m going to wait until 12 weeks to have the jab, not because of any particular worry but because I don’t want vaccine side effects on top of how rough I already feel. But I’m going to be in my third trimester over winter, so yes please to the flu jab and the Covid jab (and the whooping job jab).

@KarmaKarmaKarmaChameleon interesting you mentioned the whooping cough and flu jabs.
I spoke to a medical friend today in my whirlwind of do I/don’t I.
Her first words to me were “do you have any concerns regarding the flu jab or whooping cough?”
“No. I took those without research as that’s what you get in pregnancy.”
She laughed and was like well there you go! 🤣
She then went on to say the Covid vaccine works similarly to whooping cough in that both provide antibodies to baby.

@SillyBry great post and almost exactly my reasoning. I’d linked to the webinar you mention on another post and equally would recommend it as a good decision making aid.

I had mine on Thursday with no side effects other than a sore arm so far.

I put this on another thread, but one thing to note about thalidomide was that it was never tested in animals before being given to the public. The moment it was tested on pregnant rabbits, the dangers were apparent.

In the US it was never licensed for use because of the lack of testing that had been done.

Procedures and practices have changed, not least because of what happened with thalidomide.

@SillyBry that's it exactly, I took the flu and whooping cough as it's just the done thing and it's recommended!

The thalidomide was back in the 1950s like medicine and science has evolved so much by then and it was completely different scenario so I don't why people keep using that as an argument .

@SillyBry - exactly, I had the whooping cough and flu in my last pregnancy without blinking. And I remember pretty much biting the nurse’s arm off for the whooping cough one, I was so keen.

@EdgeOfACoin and @TerryRose - I too struggle with the reasoning behind the ‘but thalidomide’ argument. I think the idea is that it was something doctors told pregnant women it was safe for them to take but they were wrong, therefore doctors and scientists can be wrong, therefore the vaccine could be dangerous. But as you say it’s not even close to equivalent - it was 60 years ago; it was a medication, not a vaccine; it wasn’t tested on animals or at all; and ultrasounds weren’t in routine use then. And if I remember correctly, even thalidomide caused no damage if taken after a certain point in the pregnancy - maybe 8 weeks?

Saying that people shouldn’t have the vaccine while pregnant because of thalidomide seems to me as ridiculous as saying ‘I would never accept a blood transfusion because of the contaminated blood scandal.’

I had it this morning (17w with twins). A combination of worrying about 3rd tri risk and expecting that the world will be opening up again just as I become more vulnerable. No symptoms initially, now a vaguely sore arm.

To whoever asked, it seems like under 40s are routinely being offered Pfizer/Moderna now.

I got the vaccine last week at 14 weeks pregnant. I weighed it up and listened to a webinar on the subject and it helped to make my decision.

My GP surgery provides a blanket recommendation for pregnant women to get the vaccine and as PP and OP have said, the risks of catching COVID in your 3rd trimester are known, clear and serious.

I'm due in November so I wanted to do what I can to avoid those risks to myself and my baby. Yes we don't know if there are any side affects to babies if you have the vaccine but so far 90,000 women have been fine with no adverse side affects. I am not anti-vax so the thought that my baby won't meet milestones years down the line because of this vaccine (or any vaccine!!) is not something I can worry about too much.

I want to add another vote to the Stella Creasey webinar. I was very much against the vaccine until I watched that and completely changed my mind.
I'm booked in for mine on Wednesday (17 weeks) and I'm looking forward to having the protection.

I am also due in Nov and was worried about a spike in cases in winter and really don't fancy isolating for the last 3 months of pregnancy after we've all spent the last year stuck inside!

I completely understand it is a personal decision, but for those ladies on the fence, please take your information from reputable sources and not Facebook, Instagram or even Mumsnet. I'm sure your midwife or GP would be happy to have a 10 min chat to discuss all your concerns

It’s not always the thalidomide scandal that is the reason to be reserved @SillyBry @KarmaKarmaKarmaChameleon I’ve been debating for weeks and I am usually lapping up all the vaccines I can get, I was on DVT injections last post partum period. My nan had a blood clot less than 3 weeks after her AZ vaccine. I’m nervous about what is going to give me & DC2 the least risk of ill health, which is incredibly hard to quantify. I like numbers, lots of the information is ‘you’re more likely’ with no actual figures..

I feel reluctant to continue waiting and rely on other women to have the vaccine to see they’re outcomes, that feels a little selfish.

I was firmly believing the information around the AZ blood clots being ‘rare’ and ‘one specific type’ until it smacks you in the face when it’s your own family, I don’t think it was a coincidence that she had the blood clot. Is everyone who has any symptoms, however tiny, after the vaccine reporting it? I hope, but it seems unlikely since the doctors didn’t want to yellow card it, we ended up doing it for her.

Nobody seems to be able to tell me what vaccine is available when I call gp/trust number/vaccine centre, so I’ve put myself as a pregnant 28 year old on the reserve list and will hope for a call for Pfizer.

@FTEngineerM it’s really bloody hard. I did quite a lot of research and really found very little hard evidence that even catching Covid was going to be of significant harm to mum or baby.
Yes, you’re more likely to be hospitalised but the webinar said that was due to an increased need to monitor rather then it making you more unwell than a non pregnant person.
Increases risk of premature labour went from 10 to 13%, which obviously brings increased risk. But that’s not a huge percentage increase in a fairly limited study - so it’s hard to base a lot on that.
Increased risk of medical intervention was huge - 87% rise in c sections. But I would guess that’s because the need to get baby out with minimal stress to mum, If she’s on oxygen etc.
So, it wasn’t so much the risks of Covid that swayed me, but I was more persuaded by the safety of the vaccine by understanding more about it.
I also know two women that have contracted Covid very close to their due date. Both were working from home, following social distancing etc. It just hit home that even if I shield myself, my husband teaches face to face all day and my daughter is at nursery. I’m still vulnerable to what they can bring home. Speaking to those two friends, along with a friend who works in medicine, persuaded me that I should have it.

But it is such a personal decision based on your own circumstances - I don’t feel anyone can judge anyone for doing what they do... you have to feel comfortable with your decision because we’re having to decide on the unknown for a tiny vulnerable thing 😊

@GordonsAliveAndEatsPies

Can I be really awkward and say no one can possibly know what the effect is?

I have had my 1st vaccine now the baby is 6 weeks but no way would I have had a vaccine when pregnant.

The only adequate documentation regarding impact will be when babies are born or even when they expected to reach milestones. Maybe we will all be fine. I hope so, especially for those that have been brave and had the vaccine but I just couldn’t considering thalidomide

couldn't help but say - rude! why add fuel to the fire?! your comment is hurtful to all of those expectant mums who were already vaccinated due to their unavoidable personal circumstances and were seeking words of comfort!

@skris11 absolutely with you. It’s so emotive, we shouldn’t be judging each other or saying stuff that could be hurtful.

I also think that contrary to what the poster said... actually, there are over 100,000 pregnant women that have been inoculated in the US. Many have now birthed, so actually, we do have good data on this.

Thanks @SillyBry I’d probably prefer it slightly if the decision were out of my hands but I don’t think forced vaccination is going to take off anytime soon😂. I do hope they call though I think it’s best to get vaccinated with the right one, I couldn’t cope with another maternity leave in lockdown I’d go crazy. It’s the nursery that is our main worry too, it’s like a Petri dish.

@skris11 I think Gordon’s is referring to them learning to talk a little later? Learning to walk a little later? But if we thought with that logic then we couldn’t eat/try any new product on the market because we don’t know if kids will still be passing their driving tests at 17?! j think they’re a bit dramatic too, 100k women is ALOT, plus the ‘tech’ is old it’s just been adjusted to work for corona (I think).

@SillyBry Agree with you, there is enough data available already that pregnant women can take it post the first trimester; nobody would want to be in a situation like the poor youtuber Grace Victory who had a scary delivery as she contracted covid in the 3rd trimester, bless her she is now back to life and to her baby after 3 months of coma state! If this can affect DNA it can be more harmful to the young women who are yet to conceive and millions of young women all over the world have already received the vaccine! pfizer is even recommended for teenagers! At the end of the day, what matters is staying positive, just believe that you have taken the right decision considering your personal circumstances, never doubt it, believe in law of attraction - if we think negative we'll attract negative, so please stay positive and happy, that's what the babies need!

@FTEngineerM you said it! 😂 and what if they don't do bungee jumping or paragliding! there is so much to worry about isn't it!😅

@FTEngineerM I know the feeling. I kept joking that maybe they’d forget to invite me and I wouldn’t have to make the decision 🤣🤣🤣

Can I just ask if those who have had their vaccine are feeling ok after it?

I've just booked mine for when i will be 24 weeks. Still feeling nervous about it, but partly due to risk of being unwell after!

A complex decision indeed, sadly no right or wrong. Just got to be level headed about it and sure that the decision was right for you at the time you made it

luna I had a heavy arm from about 8 hours after, for a day. Nothing else to report so far.

@LunaDreams I was fine. Sore arm for a couple of days but no fever or anything. I was nervous about side effects but decided I’d rather deal with it while pregnant than with a newborn! Plus I was very unwell for months with COVID last year so desperate never to go through that again...

Sore arm, that's it.

Apparently side effects are worse after second Pfizer jab.

It's the other way round for AZ.

Hey ladies. I was wondering if those of you who had their Pfizer already have any updates on side effects or symptoms?

Just a sore arm for me and I've already had covid so expected it to be worse!

Hi, just to chip in I had my Pfizer vaccine yesterday (29 weeks) and was back and forth on whether to get it or not. I’m 29 so wasn’t expecting to be called up so soon so didn’t think I’d need to think about it!

What swayed me was the fact that we know for definite the risks of ICU and premature labour are 2-3x higher if you catch COVID in the 3rd trimester, whereas there are no known additional risks in getting vaccinated whilst pregnant according to all the data from the US (100,000 ish women I think). Also, we all trot along for our flu and whooping cough vaccines whilst pregnant and don’t give it a second thought, there’s nothing to suggest this vaccine will work any differently.

It’s a totally personal decision and everyone has their reasons for/against. For me, weighing up the risks while I’m young and can work from home some of the time, my husband is a high school teacher so lots of contact and also I don’t really want to be limiting contact with friends/family or avoiding going out as restrictions lift in the last couple of months of pregnancy when I have the option to protect myself with the vaccine.

For those wondering about side effects so far all I’ve had is a sore arm and a bit fatigued (but that could just be the fact I’m 29 weeks pregnant and we’re having a mini heatwave) x