COVID-19
Fertility and Birth Outcomes After COVID-19 Vaccination
Nov
Fears of adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccination on fertility have affected vaccination rates in some communities all over the world. Despite the absence of supporting evidence for such a risk, low biological plausibility and preliminary data supporting the safety of mRNA vaccines in pregnancy, this claim has become widespread.
This could have a substantial public health consequence, because infection with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy is a risk factor for severe maternal illness and complications.
Study Found that COVID-19 vaccine does not affect fertility & birth rate outcomes
Researchers from the University of Oxford have recently analyzed pregnancies that have occurred during four ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 clinical trials from three different countries including the United Kingdom, Brazil, and South Africa. All participants were of childbearing age, which is defined as 49 years or younger, and were randomly selected to receive a control vaccine or the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine.
Within these trials, the main exclusion criterion was pregnancy; therefore, all of the volunteers provided a negative β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) test before vaccination. The pregnancies that occurred following vaccination were recorded and monitored until three months following the birth. The independent data and safety monitoring board reviewed all pregnancy outcomes.
Pregnancies were reported in 121 (1%) of the 9,755 participants during these trials. The fertility outcome analysis set included 93 pregnant women, of which 50 had received the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine and 43 received the control vaccine.
The authors found no evidence of an association between vaccination and reduced fertility. Women in the control vaccine groups who had received the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or another mRNA vaccine as part of a national vaccination program were excluded from the analysis of pregnancy outcomes.
There was also no increase in the rate of miscarriages in the vaccine group when compared to the control group. There were no neonatal or stillbirths reported in either group.
There was no evidence in this study that suggest that the COVID-19 vaccine has any negative effects on fertility and no increase in risk of miscarriage.
People need to be informed with this type of studies and base their decisions on reliable sources. This and other similar publications can provide evidence to support women in making the right decisions regarding vaccination.
Source:
Kushalini Hillson, et al. Fertility rates and birth outcomes after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccination. The Lancet. Oct 2021.
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02282-0
Colin Lightfoot, M.Sc. (2021, Oct 26) AstraZeneca ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine does not affect fertility and birth rate outcomes, study says. News Medical Life Sciences. Retrieved from: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20211026/AstraZeneca-ChAdOx1-nCoV-19-vaccine-does-not-affect-fertility-and-birth-rate-outcomes-study-says.aspx
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https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/probiotics-prebiotics/study-links-gut-flora-and-fertility
