Covid vaccine - risk factors

[mariebaby3]

Hi all,

I know that there have been numerous threads about this but I really am torturing myself over this decision.

I was recently offered the pfizer vaccine which after much deliberation I declined as I was so on the fence about it.

However now that thing are starting to open up again, news about the Indian variant in the UK today and just general horror stories about catching Covid when in your third trimester I’m starting to regret my decision.

I’m 30 weeks, live in Wales where cases are low. However, my kids are both of school age, one in comp and another in primary and they go to their dads every weekend, so I’m not in the position to fully eliminate the risk of contact as these things are all unavoidable.

I really don’t want to spend the next 9 weeks panicking or getting anxious over the news and so I wondered if anyone else is in a similar position to me and can tell me what you’ve decided?

Just to mention, I’ve spoken tk my midwife and gp and both were on the fence and basically said it’s a personal decision so not much help unfortunately.

Hello, I’ve also wondered this recently but I personally wouldn’t want to risk having the vaccine as I’m 24 weeks along at the mo. I’ve have seen various articles on this in the past couple of weeks but feel I would be better waiting until my baby has arrived. My younger sister works at the hospital in the labs and was involved in a lot of the early covid testing, she is currently 30 weeks pregnant and has said she will not be having the vaccine due to not enough research being done just yet. Most people seem to be having the vaccine which is only a good thing so I think I will just be extra cautious and avoid crowded areas for now until she arrives.

I'm in Wales too and currently 31 weeks pregnant. Had the Pfizer jab a couple of weeks ago at 29ish weeks - no regrets - I feel much safer. I caught covid when I was 10 weeks pregnant and it was bloody awful - I definitely don't want to get it again in the third trimester when the risks and possible outcomes are so much worse. Tens of thousands of pregnant women in the US and Israel have been vaccinated without issues so for me it was an easy decision.

@mariebaby3 I’m feeling much the same - I’m booked in to have the Pfizer jab on Saturday and I just cannot make my mind up. Both midwife and consultant have been the same - on the fence, noncommittal and said it’s up to me. I’ve been torturing myself going round and round trying to decide what to do. Almost ended up in tears today trying to figure it all out 😥

Should have mentioned I am 28+3

Thanks all, it’s so hard isn’t it. I’ve had a bit of a cry about it this afternoon to DH as I’ve felt very alone in this decision. He just agrees with whatever I have to say and flip flops around with me which isn’t helpful. He’s sat down tonight to do some independent research and has come away of the opinion that I should have it, my mum also thinks I should.

I’ve sat and watched some YouTube videos, and the Stella creasy webinar… so many saying they’d recommend it but it’s just that nagging voice in the back of my mind telling me it may be the wrong decision. At the moment though I’m leaning towards rebooking, the stress of worrying about it is getting too much and I keep getting told that Covid is a real risk whereas the vaccine is hypothetical which has really resonated with me

@mariebaby3 you sound just like me. I manage to convince myself the right thing to do is to have it, but then I have a voice in the back of my head saying ‘what if’. I found some helpful info about how the non-live vaccinations work that I can send you the link to if that’s helpful?

@mariebaby3 what I’m struggling with also is that like you say the vaccine risk is hypothetical, but once you’ve had the vaccine you’ve had it, there’s no going back, whereas chances are now with rates so low you won’t get Covid. It’s so difficult. One thing that’s swaying me is the fact that I need to be healthy for my baby, and that the baby should get antibodies too x

I live in the US where they have been offering the vaccine to pregnant people since December. I got it at 19 and 22 weeks. I spoke with two obstetricians here (mine and a high risk one) and a friend in the U.K. who is an obstetrician. All were for the vaccine. I feel relieved to be vaccinated. We move home to the U.K. in a month and I feel lucky I was able to get the vaccine so easily.

@MintGreenLife oh yes please, the link would be really helpful. That is my worry too, about there being no turning back once it’s done. I honestly think that if I were in the position to shut myself off for the next 9 weeks I would and wait to have the vaccine but with school age kids and an ex who I know for certain will be enjoying the lifting of restrictions again I can never feel certain that I’m not at any risk. I’m also worried that with everything opening up indoors again that we could see an increase of cases, even if just among the unvaccinated population…. I don’t want that to happen and then regret not getting the vaccine when i had the chance. It’s an impossible choice!

@Ritamarie85 I think it’s great that the US were so on the ball with this - where would we be without the data! I’ve seen a lot of videos where obstetricians have said the same and have been vaccinated themselves when pregnant. I really hope to have that feeling of relief no matter what my decision is soon.

I had the Pfizer vaccine in early January during my first trimester, I feel so lucky and fortunate to have it.

@mariebaby3 here you go...

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/bumps/monographs/USE-OF-NON-LIVE-VACCINES-IN-PREGNANCY/

It really is impossible. This is my first baby, and I work from home as does my husband, so I don’t have the same risk factors you have with increased exposure. In fact I’m probably very low risk for exposure, but then it only takes one exposure to someone infected 🤷🏻‍♀️ One of my main worries is that my sister in law is pregnant and due in a week and a half, and I can’t stop my husband holding the baby, but I worry about the baby being exposed to lots of visitors!

Check out this group on Facebook, they try to only use peoples first hand experience,
Scientific evidence and try to dis spell any unreliable information that seems to be pushed around at the moment.
m.facebook.com/groups/433459851127376/?multi_permalinks=501412017665492&notif_t=group_highlights&notif_id=1620413402366578&ref=m_notif

@SamoyedFan123
Hi,

I am unsure about getting vaccine, can I ask if everything was okay with baby as I cannot find any babies that were born post vaccine

Thank you

@Kooooie1 my baby is 5 weeks old now and absolutely fine. I believe that the government guidance is now that pregnant women should definitely get the vaccine as the risks from the delta variant are so severe in the third trimester.