Vaccine - should all pregnant woman get it?

[Sunsetswim]

Hi all,

I know theres lots if vaccine threads and ive worked my way through reading most recent.

Up until the latest guidance i was going to hold off getting vaccine. Mainly because lack of information etc.

Are any woman getting it who work from home? Could easily try and restrict mixing with people like we have been doing during lockdown?

Also, for those not getting it what are your biggest concerns.

Mine are that we dont have enough information but ill happily accept flu vaccine /whooping cough.

@Sunsetswim I work from home and my husband does too, but I still had the jab last week at 29 weeks. I did a lot of research and was told by my consultant and GP that it’s safe to have. Even though I work from home and don’t plan on socialising indoors until after baby is here, that still doesn’t mean there isn’t a risk, and the statistics connected to getting Covid in the third trimester we’re enough for me to feel like being protected against Covid was the safer option x

I’m 23 weeks. I don’t work from home but do have a job that I can easily stay distanced from colleagues etc.

I’ve chosen to have the vaccine and am booked in for my first dose tomorrow. I did a LOT of research and did to and fro a bit but ultimately the risks of covid far outweigh the risks of the vaccine.

I work with a former vaccine researcher and developer who was able to explain how the vaccine works in a very understands way.

Plus after over a year of such limited contact and not being able to do so much, I definitely don’t want to spend the next few months isolating and hiding myself away, so for me, the vaccine will give me that bit more freedom to go about my life more normally.

It's a personal choice.
Personally I got it as soon as I could get my hands on it. I work from home all day every day, will not be made to go into the office during my pregnancy if I don't wish to and don't tend to go shopping or to the pub much. And I'm young with no health problems. So I'm low risk.

My reasons for getting it were:

• There is now quite a lot of evidence of no adverse effects on pregnant women now.
• There is a clear and definite risk to the mother and baby if the mother contracts covid during the third trimester.
• As I'm low risk and have been WFH I've not had it yet so I don't have any protection from that route.
• I'll be going into hospital to have the baby and potentially a few times beforehand which is a high risk area for catching it.
• I'm not concerned about an unforseen risk for the baby's future development. There aren't any real biological reasons why the vaccine would have any effect in this way (as far as I've read) so the biologist in me just isn't concerned.
• I would never ever forgive myself if I didn't get the jab, caught covid and lost the baby as a result as those were definite risks.

Its just a case of weighing it up for you personally. Those are my reasons but they may not resonate with you and that's fine 😊. No one can make the decision for you.

I work from home and so does my husband. I got the first Pfizer vaccine last week at only 7 weeks pregnant. I feel comfortable with any internationally reviewed and approved vaccines, including flu and whooping cough. To me, it feels like doing the best I can to protect my baby.

So, I really wanted to get vaccinated, and the updated national guidance is that pregnant women both can and should. I asked my midwife, my medical clinic, and the vaccination centre, and all said it was fine for me to get it.

I was nervous because I was worried about getting fever as a side effect in first trimester - but in the end I had no side effects at all! I am very happy I got it, and looking forward to the second.

I hope that helps : )

I WFH and am 23 weeks and will have vaccine from 24 weeks. I don't want it before then as baby isn't viable in case anything goes wrong

I WFH. I got the vaccine. I continue to socially distance and we haven't met people indoors, but have started to go to cafes and my DS goes to school.

I am having a c-section and felt that I would protect myself and my baby better if I was fully vaccinated (I had mine at 29 weeks and they agreed I can have the second dose at 36/37 weeks) I can't imagine how difficult it would be if I got covid in the last weeks of pregnancy (it can be very dangerous for pregnant women / outcomes for babies) or in the first few weeks having a newborn.

I also felt as the country reopened and people started to mix, my baby would benefit from my antibodies (although I hope to BF as well so should get antibodies from BF)

I have just booked my vaccinations at 26 and 38 weeks. I was really anti getting it during pregnancy initially, because I am young-ish (34), not overweight, got no pre existing health conditions and can work from home and I just had an underlying doubt of taking a new vaccine when this tiny unborn baby was at risk. I’d never forgive myself if something happened. I watched the Stella Creasy webinar and felt a hundred times more informed about the vaccine and much happier having it.

Essentially, these were the things I learnt:

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. There are something like 100,000 pregnant women that have been vaccinated in the US, with many already going on to have healthy and happy babies. There have been no known abnormalities etc reported.

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. Put simply, your body is already under strain in the 3rd trimester, so a virus is not what you need!

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.

Another thing that really swayed me was that 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 with her and baby in intensive care/hospitalised for a further week) 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 and that really got home for me. The one that hasn't delivered yet needs to inject blood thinners for 2 weeks to prevent clotting in her recovery.

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 not having seen anyone when I had the opportunity. I know that sounds very selfish, but once I was more satisfied with the science, that became more of an important factor.
If I am vaccinated, I will pass antibodies onto baby and don’t feel like the two of us have to hide away from meeting people... snd when you’ve just had a baby, seeing people is so important for your sanity!!

Just my learnings/thoughts!

Oh and also, I thought I’d much rather feel cruddy from the vaccine when I don’t have a tiny baby to look after!!

I got it at 22 and 26 weeks weeks. I work from home but hubby doesn’t and I have to go to regular hospital and doctor appointments for pregnancy. Im almost 29 weeks now and very happy I have it

Following! I’m 33+4 and think I’ll be offered it by next week. Leaning towards getting it.

I'm 34 weeks and have just been invited for my vaccine. Have discussed with my midwife and GP and all agree that I'm better to wait until after delivery now. Main reason is because I'm already in the high risk time and immunity from vaccine won't kick in for 2 weeks after having it. Hard to find a vaccine appointment I can get to anyway due to PGP and impact on driving. I'm planning to restrict who we see & where we go for the next few weeks (only socialising outside in groups of 6).

If I had been invited earlier in my pregnancy or if I was due later in the year I think I would take the vaccine as id be worried about not being protected heading into winter.

I’ve just blabbed on about this on a different vaccine thread, but very briefly: I work with a virologist who has had both of hers whilst pregnant. I work in a lab and have studied vaccine development and I am getting mine (had Pfizer during first trimester and having 2nd one in few weeks time).

All of the people I have spoken to who actually know what they’re talking about (scientists, doctors, immunologists, etc) are of the opinion that it’s safe to get the jab whilst pregnant. I trust these people and I trust the data, please do your own research if still in doubt and speak to knowledgable people. There is a lot of hysteria surrounding this, but this vaccine has been developed by world leaders in this industry who have pumped all of their resources into it. Doing some proper research (and not reading daily mail articles) is the best way to make an informed decision.

I had my first dose at 29 weeks, I’ve yet to book my second dose. I’m WFH but I have a DD in reception at school, and we live in an inner London borough rather than a rural area with low levels of community transmission. I also have gestational diabetes, so I’m likely to be in hospital for a few days for an ELCS.

All of this has helped me make the decision that the vaccine is the right thing to do. It could be quite serious if I were to contact covid at this stage, and I have to think about DD1 as well as my unborn child. Just today we found out DD has to self isolate due to a case in her year, so it feels like the right decision.

@FirstTimeMummy2021 that’s interesting. I think I’ll be offered at 34 weeks and even though it can take 3 weeks to get protection I figured that still gives me up to 5 weeks protection at the riskiest time (as could go up to 2 weeks overdue). But it’s such a hard decision!

It's a very individual choice but I feel there is a lot of bad judgement thrown at people choosing to decline it.
I'm not getting the vaccine during pregnancy and not rushing to after pregnancy either. Had my whooping cough a couple of weeks ago but declined the flu when I was offered it in winter. Not isolating, restricting visitors etc.

I'm on the fence but edging on not having it until after I've given birth. I'm 22w at the moment.

My reasoning is while the research appears sound I don't want to find out five/ten years down the line that there is some unknown effect on baby that we just didn't see coming.

I live in the countryside where the cases are almost non-existant at the moment (3 in 100,000 with a population of under 150,000). I work from home as does my partner. We online shop. Only really socialise outside other than my parents who self isolate for two weeks before seeing us each time. We've asked family to do lateral flow tests before seeing us and we are doing them regularly as well. My partner will be fully vaccinated by the time baby arrives and we have already turned down events in the summer to keep baby and I safe. We essentially plan on isolating from the first week of August so the last eight weeks of my pregnancy taking it very very cautiously before that. Given we haven't done much for the last 18 months we are happy to hold off doing anything until next year really. It's a sacrifice but thankfully we have managed emotionally quite well so will continue that way.

While I am aware there is still risk my sense is it can be managed. If the cases change and it becomes a much more worrying situation where we are living I may reconsider or on the flipside really lock ourselves down and protect baby the best we can.

I will be having it once baby arrives but don't feel comfortable with the unknown in coming years. I know the risk is small if not non-existant but it's a worry I don't want to have.

Initially I wasn't going to have it when the guidance changed to say we could.

However I have also watched the Pregnant then screwed video regarding it and felt much more comfortable. On top of that (at risk of outing), though i dont live in the area, my hospital is in an area that is currently in the news for its high cases of the Indian variant, with the hospital having a surge of covid cases in there. I've even considered changing hospital but in the meantime I'm going to have my first dose on Sunday when ill be 15+5.

I do feel nervous but from what I've read, the risks of covid in the third trimester are real, and there is just no known risk from the vaccine. Im already breathless at this point with a BMI of 30 so having a virus that restricts oxygen even more when I'm even further along sounds horrendous and very dangerous. I have a toddler and part of my decision is thinking of what would happen to him if something happened to me due to catching covid. I know unlikely but still a chance.

I just took into account my personal risk. While I currently wfh, my company do want us to start easing back into the office. My OH works from the office and my toddler goes to nursery. I think what hit home the other day is when I walked upstairs to read my son a bedtime story, I was out of breath just from walking and had to stop reading to catch my breath. I couldn't imagine dealing with a virus on top of just feeling like this, especially when my lung capacity becomes a bit less with everything being squished up and the extra weight I'll have by the third trimester. Its all personal choice and I can see and do not judge either decision as its so difficult to decide isnt it.

Tbh I'm confused at the reasoning of the for not going to have it.
Talking about some unknown risk in 5 years time (unlikely) but if you get covid your risk of stillbirth or miscarriage is increased and so in 5 years time you maybe not have a baby to be concerned about side effects. I know that's a morose topic but it's logical.

So yes, op I will definitely be getting the vaccine. I'm 13 weeks and will get it whenever I get my appointment through.

I WFH (just started Mat leave though) and got it yesterday. I would have got it earlier had they enabled me to (had to wait until 32s called up). I think we should be prioritised, honestly.

I’ve got my appointment booked for tonight, I’m 13 weeks. I’m going to call the vaccination centre today and check they’re stocked with pzifer/moderna (they should be as both DH and I got the text at the same time and are under 40).

I work from home and speaking with my manager, that will continue to the end of my pregnancy. DH also works from home but is expected in the office a couple of days a week going forward. This is our first baby, so no others in school or nursery. Most of our activities are outside, so low risk and we live in an area that has had low cases throughout. My area is 2 cases per 100,000 with a population of about 90,000 so that will be just 2 cases. However, I am obese.

I watched the pregnant then screwed video which helped a lot. I need to start doing some site visits for work, which will all be outside but meeting with a lot of people. I’m also just not prepared to lock myself away all summer and winter. We live nowhere near family and have friends all over the country, so locally we only have a few friends. DH saw his local friend a handful of times last year, I last a local friend in August. That’s it. We haven’t seen family since February 2020, not seen any of our other friends. Zoom isn’t the same. I saw my mum outside for the first time since February 2020 and I’m just done not seeing anyone. At the beginning of my pregnancy, I thought I could just lock myself away but I think that’s going to do more damage to my mental health longer term. I’m due early December when we’re going to see winter spikes again.

I’ve done a lot of research. I asked DH to do some research too because his degree was in biomedical sciences (doesn’t work in that field) but I knew he would be able to understand some of the technical side a bit easier and quicker than I would.

A couple of weeks ago, it felt like I was standing in a room with two doors, vaccinate or not. One route led to safety and the other led to hungry lions. But nobody labelled the doors so how was I to know which way to go? I’ve had to change my thinking a bit. It isn’t one door is safety and the other is lions. Both pose unknown risks so you have to take a door and if something bad happens either way, you have to remind yourself that the other route wasn’t necessarily safe either. Obviously it’s easier said than done. Another poster on here (not a vaccine thread) said something about regrets, although they put it far more eloquently than I will. They said it’s the nature of humans to question what if when you’re given two impossible choices. You don’t know which way it’s going to take you, so be kind to yourself and remember that you took the least bad option that was available to you at the time. For me, the vaccine is the least bad option available to me at the moment.

Thats such a good way of looking at it @InTheNightWeWillWish. Its such a personal decision, completely depending on your own risks and what the implications are if you decide not to have it. I think for those of us approaching our due dates, we have been told for the last few months we weren't allowed it, when I would have had it happily in January when the cases were so high. And now to be offered when there's hardly any cases where I live it its harder for me to accept the risk if that makes sense? But like I said, we a have to make the decision thats right for us as individuals. The risks of getting COVID are real in the third trimester.

I’m WFH and probably could continue but tbh I want to get out a bit more this summer after a year of lockdowns, it’s really affecting my mental health. I’m 20 weeks and my vaccine is booked for Saturday.

I spent a long time weighing it up, I found the below v helpful:

www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/2021-02-24-combined-info-sheet-and-decision-aid.pdf

I had Pfizer at 35 weeks and very glad to have the protection. I WFH and am on maternity leave now anyway so could easily isolate and shop online etc. For me the dangers of Covid are known and evidence is increasing that it has risks for pregnant women such as pre term delivery and still birth (from a study of 340,000 English women over 8 month period who gave birth with and without Covid). There is good evidence the vaccine is safe in pregnancy (from 90,000+ women in USA). Being vaccinated means I feel safer during hospital stay and looking after a newborn when family will want to help/ see me and him.

Booked mine for this afternoon at 33+5 😬I’m scared! But excited too.