Second covid vaccination during pregnancy

[Capricorn8990]

Hi all, I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant. Had my first covid vaccination on 25th September (before implantation). My second is due on 20th December.

Bit wary of getting it as I don't feel there has been enough research into the side affects of getting the vaccine whilst pregnant.

What has everyone else done or what would they do?

If anyone has some factual articles/ research I would appreciate you pointing me in the direction of them so I can read up on it.

I've got severe OCD so decisions are hard for me as I'll worry either way, so need to make the most informed decision I can!

Thanks x

Hi, here is a link to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists resources on this:

www.rcog.org.uk/coronavirus-pregnancy

I have had both vaccines.

I also currently have covid at 36 weeks pregnant, mildly, because of the vaccine. If I hadn’t had it there’s a decent chance I’d have been a lot more poorly and potentially hospitalised.

Honestly, it has been “tested” on millions of women around the globe now. It’s safe. Everyone says it’s safe or they wouldn’t be advising it. Go get it.

I had both vaccines while pregnant- the first at 13 weeks. I'm nearly 27 weeks now and everything is absolutely fine. I was nervous too but they got a really experienced doctor at the vaccine centre to talk to me and that helped a lot. I'd recommend doing the same - asking a professional. My dh is also medical and was fine with me having the Pfizer one and that's what swung it for me.

I had my second dose during my 2WW and hoping to get my booster tomorrow at 23 weeks. The vaccine just tells your body how to fight the virus using your body’s own steam and covid can be very terrible for pregnant women, so that was my reasoning but don’t have any papers for you, sorry!

I had my first around 14 weeks, 2nd around 22 weeks and I have my booster booked for Monday when I’ll be 36 weeks.
It took me a while to decide what to do, I waited until after 12 weeks (booked for 14 as it was the closest appointment they had) and had no side effects with either dose so hoping the same with my upcoming booster.

I was basically the same as you. I was a few days pregnant at most when i got my 1st shot
There is a good thread on here which I can't find but basically someone said look there are 3 strategies.

1. Immunise as quickly as possible
2. Don't immunise but go into isolation until pregnancy is complete
3. Go for a halfway house

1 freaked me out

1. Was not practical at all and also getting covid when heavily pregnant terrified me
2. Is what I went for

I waited until post 20 week scan. My second jab at 22weeks meant I am fully protected for 3rd trimester and there is (I believe) around an 85% chance of giving my baby some immunity.
I can socialise somewhat but am selective about where I go ,/what I do.

I reasoned the baby was bigger but not at the stage I'd be laboring to breathe if I had flu like symptoms for the 2nd shot. As it was I was fine and had very little side effects

I had both jabs during pregnancy. I now have a very healthy 2 month old.

I had my first jab at about 6 weeks and second around 18 weeks. I’m currently 33 weeks and all scans have been absolutely fine. I’ll be having my booster as soon as my age group is called.

Over 160,000 pregnant women in America who had the vaccination and there weren’t any safety concerns with moderna or Pfizer which is what you’ll be offered.
I decided to have the vaccinations because it’s recommended by the NHS and they are very cautious with pregnancy. Also it’s far as I know the vaccine doesn’t have anything that crosses the placenta so it doesn’t reach the baby but your antibodies will so baby may have protection after birth too. The risks from covid in pregnancy are high and for me those risks were higher than the vaccination risk.
I appreciate it’s a hard decision to make. Have you got a midfwife yet? It might be useful to talk it through with them

I’m 32 weeks and had my jabs at 13 and 21 weeks. Touch wood of course but baby is absolutely fine - growing healthily, no anomalies, active and perfect. I’m so glad it’s going to have antibodies when it’s here too, and I will be getting my booster as soon as I can. Numbers are going to rocket in Jan before my due date and my baby will be far more at risk if I end up in hospital with covid than if I get the jab. I avoided the first jab at a time when it felt safer for me to do so (working from home, barely socialised) until I was past 12 weeks, just in case I got a fever from it (I didn’t), but after that saw no reason to delay.

My friend (a doc) also had two AZ jabs while pregnant before the advice changed and her 5 month baby boy couldn’t be more perfect and healthy.

There are numerous threads on here. I had my first jab 2 days after finding out I was pregnant at 4 weeks, my second the day after my 12 week scan and I'm booked in for my booster in 10 days time at 34 weeks. Considering 90% of pregnant women in icus due to Covid are unvaccinated IMO it's a no brainier.

@Lowkeyloopy, not sure how many months out you are from your second dose, but if you’re over 30 you can book your booster online now. I booked mine yesterday for tomorrow.

Thanks @ImStayingInside, I was also pleased to see that news this morning! I’m over 30 and will be three months out from my second dose on Christmas Day, so hoping to get my booster asap after that. Will try to book on Monday.

I had both jabs before pregnancy then my booster when I was 21 weeks pregnant. My Consultant Obstetrician is very encouraging and clear about getting it.

Actually just re-read your post and realised it was open online now and not Monday - just booked my booster for 30 December. Thanks for the heads up @ImStayingInside !

I had my second dose at 6 weeks. Currently 16 weeks. Like you I was very apprehensive about it. I had no choice about the vaccine and at the time felt pressured into having it. I am not anti vac I just wanted more time or to wait until after birth. So far everything is fine but I understand how you are feeling. There is lots of pressure put on women to be perfect gestation chambers during pregnancy and pregnancy guilt is very real.

With regards to the vaccine I would be more worried about being close to car exhausts and other pollutants. We inhale and ingest micro plastics all day and the chemicals we use to clean our home are probably not great either. My point is it is easy to get lost in a black hole of worry. Don't sweat it. It's probably fine. And you don't really have a choice with the covid vaccine. It will be mandatory for all by the end of next year.

I’m 39 weeks and under the care of Fetal medicine consultants due to complications in a previous pregnancy

I cannot exaggerate how thorough these docs are - scans and blood tests every 2 weeks, nothing left to chance
They even wanted to know the brand of my vitamins..!

But the one thing they’ve been completely clear on is how important it is to get jabbed
They obviously see all the high risk cases, so if there were problems with babies after vaccines, they would know about it.
But the actual cases they are dealing with are pregnancies in real trouble after catching covid with no vaccine
Placentas failing with blood clots and babies having to be delivered prematurely etc

I have no doubt that if these docs suspected there was any danger from the jab, they would have suggested I hold off. They are a massive centre of research, as well as presumably reading all the papers being produced globally
Instead, they’ve been really clear I get jabbed

Thank you for everyone's input and the links that you all sent. It's all very much appreciated!

Xx

Quick question, anyone who has now had their babies after covid vaccination, how are they doing and how old are they now? Thanks mums.

Had both vaccines in pregnancy. Baby is 3 months now, healthy and happy and thriving.

@adriannaP Fab news! Thanks 4 your reply. Am glad baby is doing well 😀 With all the uncertainty this helps so that other mums who are still not sure about getting vaxxed in pregnancy can make the right decision. Thanks.

Hi I've read previous comments but I have so much anxiety around the second covid vaccine, I've delayed it as I'm now 21 weeks and have it booked this Thursday, I was supposed to get it done in November but didn't want an risks to occur, as I've had two pregnancy losses in the past, I'm also a front line worker, and need some advice on whether I'm making the right choice to have the vaccine this week. Thank you x

I got both vaccines during pregnancy and currently have a very healthy 3 week old DD

What I will say (and take this with a pinch of salt as it's not confirmed, just something assumed and did happen with me), I caught Covid at 33 weeks pregnant. Double vaxed so my symptoms were very minimal and I was very glad I got the vaccines. Near the end of my pregnancy my dd stopped growing (I was having regular growth scans) and in two weeks hadn't grown at all/had lost weight. There's an element of mistakes in measurements of course, but it's been suggested perhaps having Covid did this
My friend who also got Covid a couple weeks ago had a growth scan yesterday and hers also showed baby stopped growing/dropped on the centile chart. Could be coincidence or could be on to something

Either way I'm very glad I got my vaccines and protected me and my dd as best as I could

Hi @chloeee12...I had my first jab at 19 weeks and 5 days and 2nd jab at 27 weeks and 5 days. What they advise is to get both jobs before you are 28 weeks i.e. before the 3rd trimester, since the 3rd trimester carries a higher risk of getting seriously ill with covid. Hope this helps in your decision making.

Hiya I had heard from people that it's best to get before I hit my 3rd trimester, is everything still going well with you're pregnancy since having the jabs?

Hiya thanks for the advice