Sorry if this gets contentious I’m just curious what others plans are... the vaccine is just starting to roll out in my area and predictions are that most people will get it by the end of the summer.
Right now I’m thinking I’ll wait at least until baby is born, possibly until BFing is done before getting it. Obviously this means continuing to social distance etc. but I think it’s worth it. I doubt there have been any vaccine trials which included pregnant women and I don’t want to take that chance.
What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree?
Re: COVID vaccine plans?
DS: 6/1/18 (Pre-E; IUGR; seizures; NICU)
TTC #2: 12/2019
Sept 2020: HSG possible blocked right tube
Nov 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFN
Dec 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFP!!! EDD 9/18
ETA: I'm sorry if this came off strongly-worded. I do have strong feelings about it, but I don't feel the need to engage in an argument. At the end of the day it's a personal choice that we should all make after a discussion with our care providers. But, I am happy to share the resources I've consulted (only if asked).
I have many educated nurse and doctor friends making the decision to get it while pregnant, which makes me feel more comfortable about it.. Hopefully there is more data on outcomes by the time we get the chance, but if there isn't I'm leaning towards yes.
Eta: I keep reminding myself that the risk isn't between the vaccine and nothing, But the vaccine and getting COVID. We know COVID has its own risks with pregnancy.
I also work in public health and am very pro vaccine in general.. After learning that this technology has been in the making for decades and how it was developed I feel confident and comfortable getting it.
DS: 6/1/18 (Pre-E; IUGR; seizures; NICU)
TTC #2: 12/2019
Sept 2020: HSG possible blocked right tube
Nov 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFN
Dec 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFP!!! EDD 9/18
I really wish the roll out were going better, all around. It’s so disheartening. Having a fully vaccinated population is going to be *such* a relief, especially with all our little ones coming into the world.
I work in a behavioral health hospital and am eligible to get the vaccine through them now. I was going to sign up while TTC but now that I am newly pregnant I was thinking of waiting a few weeks in case I would run a high fever after. It’s a very hard decision.
The ACOG recommendation is the best, most comprehensive information that I've found so far, and from a source that is trustworthy IMO, so I would suggest starting here! https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/12/vaccinating-pregnant-and-lactating-patients-against-covid-19
I also love the Sawbones podcast just on a regular basis. They're opinionated for sure, but she's an attending physician (so she teaches resident doctors), and really tries hard to make healthcare information accessible. They addressed this question head-on in this episode here: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/sawbones/covid-vaccine-questions-and-answers/
And here's the CDC page on it for good measure: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html
In general, it has helped me to do some research on how mRNA vaccines work. The nature of the function of that type of vaccine doesn't pose any kind of risk to unborn babies.
ETA: For what it's worth, because of my job, I am around kids and adults almost every day, and while we're all masked, we can't always appropriately distance, and I feel that I am not in a low-risk atmosphere. Yesterday I pre-registered to get the vaccine through my local health department, citing pregnancy as my comorbidity. I'm not sure if they'll consider that valid and call me with phase 1C, but I did it anyway just in case!
a little background - I work in person teaching high school and so I am fairly "high risk" in my job even though we do our best to wear masks 100% of the day..I have 30 kids packed into a classroom in which social distancing is absolutely not feasible. I will be getting the vaccine as soon as I'm able.
Some tidbits from my OB:
- getting COVID during the first trimester poses the most risk - especially since running a high fever is a common symptom. COVID in the first trimester can lead to premature birth and low birth weight or growth issues.
- One of the side effects of the vaccine is also fever - but it is unlikely the fever would be 104+ for a prolonged period of time so the risk is minimal
- She said the vaccine will much the like the flu vaccine, pass antibodies to the fetus which will give the baby some immunity
- COVID vaccines have been studied and worked on for the last 15 years. This is not new science and nothing has been rushed.
- She also added that there is a pregnant OB in the department who got vaccinated if that means anything to anyone.
- Her final statement was -- we KNOW contracting COVID can cause harm to mom and baby.. we are almost positive (but don't technically know since official studies have not been done) that the vaccine will not cause harm to mom or baby. She said she has had several OB patients go the hospital for COVID but she has had zero go to the hospital for the vaccine (they have started giving the vaccine to pregnant women in my state).
If I wasn't in a high risk environment..I might be slightly more hesitant about getting the vaccine.. but since I am in a high risk work environment I feel like my chances of contracting COVID are pretty high and I know that can hurt my baby and I know that can hurt me. So I will definitely be getting the vaccine when it's available to me - I already signed up and they are supposed to email me with an appointment time!
Also -- my husband already got both doses of the vaccine and had zero symptoms other than sore arm - first dose his arm was sore for a day and the second dose it was sore for about 3 days.
@cassafrass123 How long has it been since your last dose? I bet it feels great to have the protection! I'd love to hear anything you'd like to share about your experience!
However, there can be known long term side effects of covid, including long term respiratory, neurological, even cardiac complications. So when weighing the risk of something long term, I'd go with the vaccine.