Covid-19 vaccines do not alter fertility: Expert

"World over there are no studies showing that vaccinations can affect fertility in either men or women and cause any health issues for pregnant women.

"As the Covid vaccines become available to more younger people, concerns about infertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding could mean that many women will skip vaccinations,' Dr Naresh Purohit, Advisor - National Immunisation Programme said while addressing a webinar here last evening on "Effect of Covid vaccine on fertility," organised by the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata.

"With herd immunity still a long way off, that could leave a large share of the population vulnerable to infection and illness," the physician said.

"Rumors are based on the fear that messenger RNA in the vaccine could cause infertility by accidentally attacking a protein in the placenta called syncytin-1, which has a (sort of) similar structure to the coronavirus spike protein. However, these are totally different structures and there is no reason to think this would happen," he stressed.

Reproductive medicine experts participating in the webinar agreed that there is no link between the vaccines and infertility.

Later speaking to UNI, Dr Purohit, who is also Visiting Professor at the Kolkata based, West Bengal University of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, said that no vaccine can cause infertility. "There is absolutely no proof that the vaccine has such an effect. It is a total myth and women in their reproductive age group can take the vaccine," the expert averred.

He pointed out that reports from the British Fertility Centre and other medical associations have clearly stated that the vaccine does not cause any fertility issues.

"However, for people going in for IVF treatment, if they wish to, they can delay the treatment if they are taking the vaccine. This is simply because the vaccine can cause fever, and if a person gets pregnant, they may get scared. There is no scientifically proven side effect on fertility. Everyone who can must take the vaccine," said the noted Epidemiologist and reproductive health expert.

He, however, cautioned that people who are trying to get pregnant should delay conception for 6-8 weeks post vaccination.

"As of now, there is no need to panic if you find out you are pregnant after vaccination. It is unlikely to be harmful. As trials have not included pregnant women, there is no safety data," said the renowned physician.

"Those who can afford to delay conception by a month or so should do so. There is no study or evidence, but experts feel it’s better to postpone it by a month. In early pregnancy, people tend to get scared. There is nothing to worry even if one gets pregnant immediately after vaccination," added Dr Purohit.

However, pregnant women are not advised to take the vaccine currently.

"As there are no studies available to know the effects of Covid vaccine on the foetus and the mother experts are not advising it currently. For very high risk pregnancies, depending on the condition of the mother, if the doctor advises, the vaccine can be taken," he explained.

Dr Purohit informed that according to the United Kingdom guidelines pregnant frontline healthcare workers, who are at high exposure to the virus, have been advised to take the vaccine. They are being given the vaccine with informed consent.