With the world slowly adopting the covid-19 vaccine to battle the dreaded infection and bring back the globe to a sense of normality, hundreds of myths are engulfing the administration process, preventing many youngsters from opting for the vaccine.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, there are people working in the healthcare department who are hesitating to avail the vaccine due to the dozens of side effects they are hearing about it. During one instance, a doctor’s sister, a professional dental nurse, conveyed her apprehension regarding the vaccine as 2 of her colleagues had chosen not to after reading forwarded messages on WhatsApp that said that the vaccine could lead to infertility.
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However, despite the storm of myths surrounding the vaccine and its administration getting stronger on social media, no reports have till now suggested that the vaccine could cause infertility in males or even females.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) released a statement on December 16th, 2020, that said, “Patients undergoing fertility treatment and pregnant patients should be encouraged to receive vaccination based on eligibility criteria. Since the vaccine is not a live virus, there is no reason to delay pregnancy attempts because of vaccination administration or to defer treatment until the second dose has been administered.”
The United Kingdom’s Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) issued a statement jointly with the Royal College of Midwives saying, “There is no biologically plausible mechanism by which current vaccines would cause any impact on women’s fertility. Evidence has not been presented that women who have been vaccinated have gone on to have fertility problems.”
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To understand better, if one looks at the Pfizer study that began for testing the efficacy of the covid-19 vaccine, 23 volunteers conceived during the trial period. Out of these, only one woman had a miscarriage, but she belonged to the placebo group- that means she wasn’t given the actual Pfizer vaccine after all!
There is no scientific evidence supporting the occurrence of infertility from the vaccine. However, the covid-19 infection itself could affect the testicles of men. This has been elucidated by a study that was researching the effects of covid-19 in males who died due to the disease. In the post-mortem reports, it showed that the virus caused inflammation in the testicles and intervened in the sperm production- meaning lesser sperm count. While this directly implicates that it can hamper the fertility of men, it isn’t news for the group of viruses the disease belongs to. SARS-CoV-2’s other infections like hepatitis, mumps, and Epstein-Barr virus is known to create pain, inflammation and swelling in the testicles. This only gives weight to the idea of getting the vaccine, and not deterring from it.
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As far as pregnant women are concerned, every country is bringing forward its set of advice for such people. Notably, no evidence has been found that shows that covid-19 vaccines create an adverse effect on the foetus or the mother. Nevertheless, some nations are choosing to remain more cautious when dealing with these mothers.
Pregnant women who catch the virus, however, have a higher chance of ending up with a poor prognosis. This can include requiring an ICU admission, invasive ventilation and also, an increased risk of dying due to the infection when compared to women who aren’t pregnant but have contracted covid-19. A study done by a smaller group also suggests that infected pregnant women have a higher chance of delivering the baby preterm as opposed to pregnant women who are covid-free.
Yet again, experts urge the to-be-mothers to obtain reliable and correct medical advice when it comes to getting the vaccine.
According to the WHO’s updated advice, only those pregnant women who are at an increased risk of contracting the disease due to their work or any comorbidity should attain the vaccine.
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The United Kingdom has supported this notion but also stated that there is no evidence that suggests any harmful effects during pregnancy. However, as no reports support the routine use of vaccines in pregnant women, the country has reserved it for those with underlying health conditions.
The United States’ CDC has a different opinion and has put no restrictions on pregnant women from receiving the vaccine, but directed them to consult their doctors first before going ahead.
India, though, has not given a green signal to pregnant mothers as it has to the fears of people surrounding the infertility issue.
The differing suggestions are due to the lack of evidence. No pregnant woman was made a participant during the trials and as such, no proof is available to support either of the questions. This also forms the reason why India doesn’t suggest pregnant women to take the vaccine.
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However, vaccines become a regular entity for pregnant women as flu and rubella vaccines are commonly given to them. There isn’t any data that supports any adverse effect due to these vaccines.
As for breastfeeding mothers, all countries share the same opinion and provide no hindrance.
Hence, according to expert advice, all men and women, even if they are pregnant or breastfeeding are welcomed to get the vaccine and not rely on forwarded messages on social media.
