If you’re pregnant

If you're pregnant, it’s important to get vaccinated to protect you and your baby.

You’re at higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 if you're pregnant. If you get COVID-19 late in your pregnancy, your baby could also be at risk.

If you have not had a COVID-19 vaccine yet, it's recommended to get your first two doses as soon as possible. You do not need to delay vaccination until after you have given birth.

It’s preferable for you to have the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. This is because these vaccines have been more widely used during pregnancy in other countries and no safety concerns have been identified.

If you had a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least three months ago, you can get a booster dose. The vaccines cannot give you or your baby COVID-19.

If you’re breastfeeding

You cannot catch COVID-19 from the vaccines and cannot pass it to your baby through your breast milk.

If you’re breastfeeding, the vaccines you can have depend on your age:

• If you’re 40 or over, you can have any of the COVID-19 vaccines
• If you’re under 40 and do not have a health condition that increases your risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19, it’s preferable for you to have the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine

The Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines are preferable in people under 40, because of an extremely rare blood clotting problem linked to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Fertility and COVID-19 vaccination

There’s no evidence the COVID-19 vaccines have any effect on your chances of becoming pregnant. There’s no need to avoid getting pregnant after being vaccinated.

When in doubt, talk to your healthcare practitioner

Although rare, some people have had severe allergic reactions after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have a history of allergic reaction to any other vaccine or injectable therapy (intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous).

Key considerations you can discuss with your healthcare provider include:

• The benefits of vaccination
• The unknown risks of developing a severe allergic reaction
• If you have an allergic reaction after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, you can receive treatment for it.

Sources:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/pregnancy-breastfeeding-fertility-and-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination/

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html