There has been a lot of chat on our group these past months about whether or not to get the Covid-19 vaccine, if so which one to get and when to get it. Although I have tried to reply to many of these discussions I thought I would write up what the current guidance is.

As we know, the world has been changed completely and seemingly irreversibly by the coronavirus pandemic. As if dealing with infertility wasn’t stressful enough, a global outbreak of a serous and sometimes deadly virus certainly wasn’t going to help! Many women all over the world were forced to postpone their fertility treatment as clinics closed their doors because they were not considered essential. We were lucky in the UAE because most of our clinics were able to carry on seeing patients and continue with IVF cycles with only minimal delay. But you can imagine that if you were getting into your 40’s and turning to IVF due to diminishing egg reserve that wait would have been torture and, for some, it may have even been the end of their dream.

Now we have spent many months adjusting to this “new normal” we find ourselves in and a big part of things being able to open up again has been the roll out of several effective vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2, the virus that causes what we refer to as the coronavirus. In the UAE we have access to the Pfizer vaccine, which is an RNA vaccine, for many months now. It is widely agreed by the top fertility organizations the world over that RNA vaccines are safe, effective, and recommended for women who are or are attempting to get pregnant.

Here is a list of some organizations who recommend getting an RNA vaccine like Pfizer:

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, USA

The Center for Disease Control (CDC), USA

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, UK

The World Health Organization (WHO)

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 

Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand

Along with countless other fertility clinics and women’s health card providers.

I have heard to concern some women have had about the Covid-19 vaccine causing infertility. Many women, myself included, had a delayed period after having their jabs. Some women have experienced a period that is heavier than normal as well. This has caused people to fear that their fertility has been effected. There has been no evidence that this is the case. Rather, there is significant evidence that a Covid infection can cause changes to fertility. Although menstrual cycle data was not collected in the clinical trials of these vaccines, many doctors agree that these changes to our cycles are likely due to the body mounting an immune response as it produces antibodies to the virus. This may effect hormone levels, which would change the way that cycle goes. It may also be that while the body is working on these antibodies, our ovulation gets delayed as the body is sending energy and resources elsewhere that cycle. In any event, it seems that for the vast majority of women their cycles return to normal with the next one.

If you have any concerns about getting a vaccine the best thing to do is to talk to your doctor. They will be able to guide you to what is best for you and your fertility journey.