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'm pregnant and have received 2 vaccines. However, I'm concerned and
feel I need a 3rd booster shot. I had 2 jabs of Astrazeneca with only a 5 week gap (28/04/21 & 08/06/21). I'm obese, 41 and baby is due on 07/01/22 which is 7 months after my 2nd jab.
They say Astrazeneca only protects 67% after 4-5 months (is thus lower when pregnant?) and that
you are more at risk if its the 3rd trimester, you're 35+ and if you're obese.
I feel I need a booster in December, 6 months after 2nd jab and 1 month before baby arrives.
There have been so many confusing messages to pregnant women from NHS staff, PHE and the JVCI; don't get the vaccine, get the vaccine, you're not high risk enough for a booster but 1 in 5 unvaccinated pregnant women are in ICU......we already know vaccine immunity wanes.

What kind of message does this give to pregnant women and why haven't the government protected pregnant women by offering them the booster?
I'd quite happily pay for another dose of the Astrazeneca if I could, any extra protection in winter when my baby is due would offer peace of mind and protect my baby too.

When will the rest of the population (inc pregnant women) be offered a booster?
If you have had Astrazeneca will you get your booster sooner as it offers less protection?
How many double vaccinated pregnant women end up in ICU and how many months after the 2nd vaccine does this happen?
What % protection is offered to pregnant women each month after the 2nd vaccine with Astrazeneca and Pfizer?
Can pregnant women take the two new anti-viral drugs the government has purchased?

I read about the sad case of the woman who caught Covid at 8.5 months who died due to be unvaccinated and it’s really scared me. But similarly I know several pregnant women who are scared to have the vaccine and concerned about what it might to do to their baby.

With that in mind, what’s the best way to explain to pregnant women the importance but also give reassurance? Are there some statistics we can share than show it is the best course of action for both mother and child?

If a vaccine uses a live version of the virus, such as the MMR vaccine, you'll usually be advised to wait until after your baby is born before you get vaccinated. Are the covid vaccines using a live version of the virus?

I've had my first 2 vaccinations, but was expecting to get the booster soon, as i was included in group 6 for the first lot. I've also now had covid as my son brought it home from school first week in September! Would i still need the booster now, or does the infection as a a booster? I've had my flu jab as well, so feeling a bit immuned out. Is there a best time during pregnancy for this?

Which trimester is it safe to take booster vaccine? Please suggest. I have already finished my 2 covid vaccination and illegible for booster. Kindly let me know which booster is safe as well?

I'm eligible to get a booster vaccine and flu vaccine through work (NHS). They are usually given together on the same day. Is this ok if you are pregnant, or would you recommend spacing them out?

I am currently trying to conceive (and have been for over a year now). I have had all my vaccinations, including the booster. If I were to fall pregnant soon (hopefully), will my baby still feel the benefits of some of the protection that the vaccines give?

Hi everyone - thanks for taking part and sharing your questions with us. There's a lot of information available about the COVID-19 vaccines, including the effect of vaccination on pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as on fertility. Sometimes this information can be conflicting or confusing, so we're here to answer as many of your questions as we can and help provide you with the clear information you need to make informed decisions about your health and wellbeing.

@ilovemykids5

I had my first Astrazeneca vaccine a week before finding out I was pregnant in April. It gave me bad stomach pains for a week and a pain in my left arm (opposite to vaccination) and left calf pain that lasted months. I have asked for Pfizer for my second jab. Is this safe to do. I also had covid at 13 weeks pregnant. I am now 30 weeks. Do you think I am safe to wait till after baby is born.

@ilovemykids5

Clinical trials are currently examining the effectiveness and safety of mixing and matching different COVID-19 vaccines but government advice for now is to get the same vaccine for your first and second doses. The government is currently advising pregnant women and healthy people under 40 to get the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. But if you have already had the first dose of AstraZeneca, you should also have the AstraZeneca vaccine as your second dose, even if you are pregnant or under 40. We know that pregnant women in their third trimester are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 and would advise all pregnant women to get fully vaccinated to provide the best protection for them and their baby.

@Candean

Is the vaccine safe during pregnancy, a doctor said they've done a study on 100,000 pregnant women in America and concluded it safe. But i feel apprehensive that there are no long term truths from the vaccine. Does it potentially increase risk of problems in pregnancy/ miscarriage?

@Candean

Thanks to the large amount of data from the USA, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have now been confirmed as safe to give during pregnancy. This safety data comes from 147,000 pregnant women who received the vaccine in the US. We now also have safety data from 65,000 pregnant women in the UK. The vaccine has not been found to pose any increased risk of pregnancy complications or miscarriage.

@SummerHouse

Is there any evidence to suggest it would be better to have the vaccine in a certain trimester?

@SummerHouse

No, the data we have shows no risk associated with getting vaccinated at any particular stage of pregnancy. The recommendation is just to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible to give you the best protection during pregnancy.

@4thTimeLuckyRainbow

Is there a specific recommendation for which booster to get for pregnant women? Pfizer or AstraZeneca?

@4thTimeLuckyRainbow

The JCVI (Joint Commision on Vaccination and Immunisation) has recommended that pregnant women are offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines as a booster dose.

@canyoutoleratethis

Is it safe to have the covid booster and flu vaccine at the same time?

@canyoutoleratethis

Yes. This is safe and is recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

@Epli

I have a possibility to get Moderna booster - would you recommend it?

@Epli

The JCVI (Joint Commision on Vaccination and Immunisation) has recommended that pregnant women are offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines as a booster dose.

@Quietvoiceplease

What;s the single best place you would direct pregnant women to read before deciding whether to have the Covid vaccination? The plethora of information, and the amount of ill-informed information, is over-whelming.

@Quietvoiceplease

This is a really good query. You're right, there's an overwhelming amount of information out there and not all of it is trustworthy. I recommend the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to all my pregnant patients. It provides the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding vaccination in pregnancy and associated topics.

@jacqui5366

I have had COVID-19 in May 2020, will I have enough immunity throughout my pregnancy ?

@jacqui5366

Even if you have had COVID-19, it is still recommended that you are vaccinated as it provides a higher level of protection against the virus.

@BMK1

It's been 7 months since I had my 2nd covid vaccine (Pfizer) and I'm nearly 6 weeks pregnant.

• Am I still protected by the initial vaccines?
• When will I be eligible to get the booster?
• Is there a recommended time (trimester) to get the booster?
• Which type of booster vaccine is recommended?

@BMK1

It's difficult to say what your individual immunity will be at this point but it is understood that immunity to COVID-19 reduces over time. The booster is not being offered routinely to pregnant women. You can currently book your booster vaccine if it's been 6 months since your second vaccine AND you fall within one of the eligible groups - frontline health and social care workers; all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19; adult carers; adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals; all adults aged 50 years or over; those living in residential care homes for older adults. There is no particular recommended time during pregnancy to get your vaccine - it's recommended you get your booster as soon as you're eligible.

@PeacefulDreams

Does the covid-19 vaccine increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth or still birth? If so/not what is the evidence of this?

@PeacefulDreams

The vaccine was studied in 147.000 pregnant women in the US. Data from this showed that the miscarriage rate and stillbirth rate in vaccinated women was equivalent to the rate amongst the general population.

@Dizzywizz

Can you have the jab at any stage of pregnancy? Even say the first 3 months?

@Dizzywizz

Yes, any stage is fine. It is recommended that you get the vaccine as soon as possible to provide the best protection for you and your baby.

@YummyMummyXoX

Me and my son tested positive for Covid 3 weeks ago I was 9/40. I haven't had any jabs. Would it now be best to get them in 2nd or 3rd tri?

@YummyMummyXoX

It's recommended you wait 4 weeks (28 days) from your positive test or the start of your symptoms before getting vaccinated but then it's recommended that you get the vaccine as soon as possible to provide the best protection for you and your baby

@awonderfuladventure

Does being pregnant increase your risk of hospitalization with Covid if unvaccinated?

@awonderfuladventure

Yes. Current evidence from the UK suggests that pregnant women are no more likely to get COVID-19 than other healthy adults, but they are at slightly increased risk of becoming severely unwell and being hospitalised if they do catch COVID-19

I hope everyone has found the answers useful so far. The experts will be back later in the week to answer some more questions so please keep them coming!

Is the jab safe for breastfeeding?

@Clementineapples

What are the long term effects?

Nobody knows so why risk it?

Vaccines don’t have long term effects. It’s not how they work. They’re out of your system within a few weeks.