When to have the vaccine??

[Girlmama3]

I’m only just 14 weeks but have secondary school aged children.

I can book now as I’m 39. When is everyone having the vaccine?

Cancelled mine. The rules change so frequently and the day I got my letter, AZ was removed for pregnant women. It summed up the lack of knowledge generally. I'll rebook when I've had the baby.

It’s a really hard decision isn’t it. I’m still not 100% sure.

I'm having mine next week at 14 weeks.
To the pp above pfizer and moderna have been recommended because 90K have had them while pregnant in the US, so with all that positive safety data, make sense to recommend those. And the there is know a lot of evidence the risk of the virus is far greater in the late stage of pregnancy than the risk of the vaccine.

I had mine (pfizer) yesterday at 35wks.

Not during pregnancy and not rushing to after either.
Had my whooping cough vaccine this week though at 26wk.

100% yes. I was eligible today and have booked my vaccine already. The risks of contracting covid while pregnant far outweigh the risk of having the vaccine for me. The advice for pregnant women is not to get Astra Zeneca because it hasn't been tested enough yet. Everyone under 40 will be offered Pfizer or Moderna as routine now, so it sounds like that's all that will be available anyway.

Hi OP, Here's a link to the RCOG guidance. www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/2021-02-24-combined-info-sheet-and-decision-aid.pdf.
Hope that helps you weigh up your options. Fwiw if you want to go ahead you should call your GP and ask how to book for Pfizer as it's not possible (at least it wasn't last week!) to see which centre is doing which vaccine on any given day but your GP can put you forward for a Pfizer spot on the grounds you're pregnant.

Thanks everyone.

For those who have booked, did you use the online booking system? It doesn’t ask if your pregnant but as I’m under 40 I won’t get the AZ anyway x

Yes, I just went through the NHS website and booked directly. You could wait to get an invite from your GP, but the online booking is really easy to use if you prefer.

Just had my second dose today (33 weeks); had first dose at 22 weeks before advice changed but I was very sure I wanted it (group 6) and luckily was given Pfizer. I think ideally you'd be fully vaccinated by 28 weeks as that's when the risks become significantly higher for pregnant women, so I'd say it would be good to have your first around 14 weeks, when you're through the first trimester but still have plenty of time to be fully vaccinated before 28 weeks.

The booking system has been updated and it is now asking whether you are pregnant. Finally!

I'm having my second one (group 6) next week at 13+5. I delayed it slightly to get through the first trimester after having my first jab right before getting pregnant. I was lucky that the one I got just happened to be Pfizer at the time.

I’m in a similar situation. I’m 38 so can book mine now if I want to.

I’m so torn. I understand that the risks of catching Covid during third trimester are so much worse than having the vaccine.

But what worries me more is the unknown affect of the vaccine on the baby. I worry that not enough babies have been born to fully know the risks and with thus being a much longed for pregnancy after several losses, I’m just so undecided what to do for the best.

I’m currently nearly 22 weeks pregnant.

I'm booked in for Pfizer next week at 37 weeks, but 60% sure not having it- will cancel tomorrow. I think my pure gut says- chances of catching Covid now is very very rare. While vaccine doesn't show any harm on baby in sustaining pregnancy or so far in newborns- how are we to truly know any possible developmental/learning or physical issues it MAY cause as children grow up?
I know in all likelihood it doesn't and wont, but the risk of this happening without any conclusive studies as they cant be any because of Covid/vaccine timeframe is very worrying.

I booked it in as was offered Pfizer specifically and as had heard a lot of reports about issues with catching Cobid late pregnancy putting you massively more at risk in labour. Which is hugely worrying... I just don't know!!
But I'm 40, 3rd trimester and now with diabetes which does give me 3 added risk factors for suffering in pregnancy/birth far worse if I caught Covid.

I understand why people are concerned and good people really consider it, but as a scientist who has worked in new drug research and with RNA for years I have no concerns about long term effects of the vaccine. Many vaccines have been used in safely pregnancy for a long time, and vaccines share a lot with each other. If it was a new medicine, i.e. a completely new chemical then I would be concerned. However these vaccines are RNA, a biological molecule, which your body handles all the time, which instructs your body to make the viral spike protein and your immune system then mounts a response. And your immune system will be doing this frequently during pregnancy (and at other times), to all sorts of things. It goes in your arm, so extremely unlikely a significant amount will make it to your baby. But wonderfully you will share a whole bunch of antibodies with your baby, helping protect them from all sorts of things, including antibodies against covid if you have the vaccine.

What we do know is there is a risk of serious complications late in pregnancy and that significant proportion of people get long term effects from this disease.

Yes levels are low in the country, but there are still risk of variants and we are not yet at herd immunity. Just today a friend was found to be a contact, as they were in a bed in hospital next to someone who was later diagnosed with covid (thankfully the friend is fully vaccinated and is OK)

@Katy4321 thanks so much for that brilliant explanation, I'm really convinced vaccination is the safest approach for pregnant women but I definitely don't have the same knowledge you do so it's great to hear it fully explained!

@Katy4321 Thank you! I agree, no one really explains it like that.

I’ve just booked mine, I’ll be 16 weeks.

It didn’t ask me if I was pregnant.

I've my second one this weekend at 2 weeks. The nurse said Pfizer is fine for pregnant women apparently...

i had mine yesterday at 19 weeks. I booked via GP so they found me a pfizer clinic. apart from a slightly sore arm no other side effects....

They also said that they are given the second jab within the 12 weeks, its more likely i will get a text in about 4 - 5 weeks. When i had the jab they asked me if i was pregnant and just noted how far along i was on their records.

@Katy4321 Why has noone explained it that clearly to us?! You've reassured me more in 30 seconds than anything I've read from the government or the NHS!

I’m not yet eligible for mine, but want to have it as soon as I am. Just a quick question, I don’t know if they’re still recommending pregnant women discuss it with their GP or midwife first, but have any of you done that? I feel I’ve made the decision myself and don’t need to discuss it with them, but just wondered what the correct protocol is.

I've had my first jab (Pfizer) this morning at 12 weeks.

@rulesofthecar I discussed the vaccine with my midwife the other week because I figured it was a sensible thing to do and she may put my mind at rest.
All she said was, when your age group is offered it, the advice is to take it.
I asked lots of questions and she honestly didnt say a word back to me regarding the vaccine.
If anything, she changed the subject to something else.

I havent been offered it yet but I am in the next group to be offered it.
Before becoming pregnant I was dead set against it. I have a medical background and personally, I felt like there wasnt enough information about it to give me the confidence to take it.
Now Im pregnant, my mindset has changed. Im still in the first trimester now but know by the time ill be due, it will be winter and ill be in hospital. Covid could be rife again.
Im still torn.
I want it but, Im worried about any affects for my baby later in life. I appreciate there may be no problems but it is such a new vaccine.
I have alot more reading to do i think.

I just booked but am on the fence about having it. I'll be early in the first trimester if I make it there (5+3) and miscarried my previous pregnancy so I'm worried about the fever risk among other things. Not at high risk for Covid, but keen to have the vaccine and am also travelling to visit family for the first time in a year the day after the first jab. I just don't know if it's the right thing to do.

@rulesofthecar I spoke to my MW at 34wks and all she said was call 119 to arrange. They were useless and told me it wasn't recommended for pregnant women unless they had underlying health conditions. I told them the advice had changed 2wks ago.

GP didn't respond at all to email to the dedicated vaccination line.

I booked via the GP text, GP then called back and rebooked me for a pfizer slot.

When I went yesterday though, they do tell you to speak to a clinician there if you're pregnant which I did, and I can imagine if you had any concerns they would be helpful.