Do you have a question about getting the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy? £200 voucher to be won

[LibbyMumsnet]

We are no longer taking questions on this thread, please read answers below.

Created for Our Healthier South East London

Our Healthier South East London have organised for Dr Juliet Grenham and Dr Anita Banerjee to answer your questions.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw

• One lucky Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher for any store of their choice (from a list)

• The experts will be back to answer some of your questions throughout the next three weeks

About the experts:
Juliet qualified in 2016 from Barts and The Royal London Medical School in London. She has been working in South London since qualifying. The majority of her experience is in Emergency Medicine and General Practice and, as the mother of two boys, she has a particular interest in maternal health and child health. She is currently working with the Lewisham Public Health Team as part of her training to become a GP.

Anita Banerjee is an obstetric physician, diabetes and endocrinology consultant and internal medicine honorary reader in obstetric medicine at King's College London. Involved in clinical practice and working locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, Anita specialises in working with complex medical conditions in pregnancy and high risk pregnancies, and has spoken at conferences locally, nationally and internationally. Anita currently works as an obstetric physician consultant at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London.

Here’s what Our Healthier South East London has to say:
“At Our Healthier South East London, we know how important it is to support our residents, especially those most vulnerable. This is why we are working hard to reach and engage expectant families and those thinking about having children so they can quickly access clear information and advice that is most relevant to them. Our ‘Ask the expert Q&A’ is just one way that we hope to provide expectant families with the vital information they need to make an informed choice about their vaccination decisions” - Pamela Froggatt, Our Healthier South East London Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement

Do you have a question on the latest advice on COVID-19 vaccination and pregnancy? Or perhaps you would like to understand more about the potential benefits and side effects? Whatever your question is, post on this thread for the experts to answer.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ
Insight T&C's apply

I had really bad side effects after my first covid jab (the astrazeneca) head fog, aching, feeling washed out - why did this happen - I feel poorly enough with morning sickness and cannot imagine feeling worse with thee booster - will this side effect happen with the Pfizer ? what are the %ages of differences in getting side effects from the covid vaccines in use.

Have the boosters been tweaked to take account of the delta variant, and does this mean the dose is stronger ? I had bad side effects (in bed for 2 days) after my first dose.

Is there a 'better' time during pregnancy to have the vaccine?
E.g.. is month 6 safer than month 1 for example, or does it not matter?

Which vaccine is the safest for pregnant women to receive? How and why are pregnant women so badly affected by covid? Have any pregnant women been adversely affected by the vaccine ( or their babies). I want to persuade my pregnant daughter to get the vaccine so it would be good to know these things.

Is the booster safe for pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy?

Do you have to avoid other vaccines when you have a covid jab? For example, could I have the covid vaccine near to when I have whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy?

AstraZeneca

I had both doses of AZ before falling pregnant. My second dose was May, just before the decision was made to stop AZ in under 30's... thankfully I had no adverse reactions. I became pregnant in September and now I am due my booster. At 12 weeks, should I get it? If so... when?

We are hearing that the vaccine is safe and that rigorous studies have been done before approval. How can you be sure that the vaccine is safe in the long term when no one has had the vaccine long enough for us to see what long term effects it could cause? For example, could it cause a foetus to develop an illness in later life? If not, what reassurance is there?

Why are we being told the vaccine is safe for pregnant women when we have literally no idea how these babies will turn out long term? They're all tiny or just being born now. I'd like to know why we are being told this.

Why was covid only dangerous for the elderly or vulnerable and now our children and pregnant women are being pushed into a vaccine as well?

From the reading up I've done noone can tell the long term effects of the vaccine because the long term hasn't happened. Yet they are finding more unvaccinated pregnancies in hospitals with Corona. Unfortunately being closer to health systems you have more chances of getting it and there are short term advantages over not taking it. I will only be taking the phizer as it has the wider studies. To be honest there is no long term medication that don't cause problems and it standard to take them in our society to deal with heavier health problems. Such as cholesterol meds, painkillers, mental health meds.

Are you more likely to end in hospital if you're pregnant?

Looking forward to reading the answers. I'm not sure what the planned date for this is, but please could I encourage pregnant women with questions visit NHS England if they are anxious or have urgent queries?

www.england.nhs.uk/2021/10/nhs-encourages-pregnant-women-to-get-covid-19-vaccine/

Unfortunately, pregnant women who contract covid, especially in later pregnancy are at increased risk of premature labour and there are health risks to mothers and babies as a result. Please do speak to your GP or midwife if you have any concerns.

In England, If you had AZ as a first vaccine and are needing to complete your course, you can now ask your GP to prescribe Pfizer or Moderna as a patient specific direction (PSD) and take the prescription to your local Vax centre.

Links below may be helpful

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-women-of-childbearing-age-currently-pregnant-planning-a-pregnancy-or-breastfeeding/covid-19-vaccination-a-guide-for-women-of-childbearing-age-pregnant-planning-a-pregnancy-or-breastfeeding

www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/coronavirus-covid-19-pregnancy-and-womens-health/covid-19-vaccines-and-pregnancy/covid-19-vaccines-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding/

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

Could the baby possibly experience side effects in the womb?

When will the safety trials on pregnant women be concluded?
It’s ironic that unpasteurised cheese is considered unsafe yet a new vaccine is perfectly safe.
Does anybody really know yet?
Why risk it?

When one fifth of the people occupying intensive care beds between July -October are pregnant and unvaccinated... and there have been no double jabbed pregnant women in ICU with Covid. What more information do you need to weigh the risks . But surely even the most mathematically challenged can work out that your chances of a successful pregnancy are enhanced several
times over if you have the vaccine rather than not ?

Is there any research on whether pregnant women have the same level of protection from the vaccines as non pregnant women? Do immune system changes in pregnancy affect the vaccines as efficacy and/or how long protection lasts?

How can doctors claim the vaccine doesn’t affect fertility when over 35000 women in the UK reported menstrual disturbances? If you’re not having your period, surely that is an effect on fertility.

I gratefully took the vaccine at 6 and 7 months pregnant, in May and June this year. I felt confident in my decision but appreciated not all pregnant women would feel that way. Although nothing was mentioned at the time, I had hoped that the number of pregnant women in the general population taking the vaccine (and their outcome) would be recorded to ultimately present as data and evidence to help other women make the decision. Can you confirm if this is the case?

I am double vaccinated and currently pregnant. I’m not due for my booster yet, but if I do get invited, I’m not sure whether to just wait until after the birth? I know they say the risks of any untoward effects on your unborn child are low, but given I’m already double vaccinated, it feels like it may be an unnecessary risk to take?

Will pregnant women be offered the booster?