The NHS in Devon is reassuring women that the Coronavirus vaccination will have no impact on their ability to have a family and is encouraging health and social care workers to take up the vaccine.
More than 87% of frontline health and social care workers across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay have had their first dose of the life-saving vaccine. However, some female staff have hesitated over the jab and highlighted concerns caused by misinformation circulating about fertility.
University Hospitals Plymouth Acting Head of Midwifery, Charlotte Wilton is among those offering reassurance. She said: “The vaccine works by travelling to your lymph glands and then is disposed of within a couple of days by the body. There is no mechanism by which the Coronavirus vaccine can affect your fertility either now or in the future.
“If you are considering having the vaccine but you are really not sure or are considering a pregnancy at some point, then please do be reassured that it is safe to do so and that will protect you and everyone else.”
Social worker, Laura Boyle, is 33 and works for Devon County Council. Laura hopes to have another child and says she had no hesitation in taking up the vaccine. “I don’t have any doubts in my head that it’s not safe.
“We have so many vaccines throughout our lives. Women have the flu and whooping cough vaccine routinely in pregnancy. I wasn’t worried that the Coronavirus vaccine would have any impact on my future fertility.”
The Royal College of Midwives and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have also issued statements on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccination.
Dr Edward Morris, President at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “We want to reassure women that there is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 vaccines will affect fertility. Claims of any effect of Covid-19 vaccination on fertility are speculative and not supported by any data.
“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.”
Royal College of Midwives Chief Executive Gill Walton said: “If you are eligible for and have been offered a COVID-19 vaccine, the decision whether to have the vaccination is your choice. You can either have the vaccine or wait for more information about the vaccine. Women who are eligible for the vaccination should consider discussing any concerns they have with their midwife or healthcare professional.”
A guide for women of childbearing age, those currently pregnant or breastfeeding has been published by Public Health England and can be found here.
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