COVID-19 Vaccine
(Date: October 2023. Version: 9)
This factsheet has been written for members of the public by the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS). UKTIS is a not-for-profit organisation funded by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on behalf of UK Health Departments. UKTIS has been providing scientific information to health care providers since 1983 on the effects that medicines, recreational drugs and chemicals may have on the developing baby during pregnancy.
What are COVID-19 vaccines?
COVID-19 vaccines work by training your immune system to recognise the ‘spike’ protein on the outside of the COVID-19 virus and to fight off the infection. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain live coronavirus, and therefore vaccination cannot give you COVID-19.
Pregnant women are a priority group for COVID vaccination and will be offered a 2023 autumn booster. Vaccination is the best way to protect against the risks of COVID-19 in pregnancy for women and their babies.
What are the benefits of having the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy?
Pregnant women are at higher risk of developing severe complications if they become infected with COVID-19, particularly in late pregnancy.
Risks of complications from COVID-19 are higher for women from some ethnic minority groups, those aged 35 or older, those who are overweight or obese, and women with pre-existing medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma and diabetes.
Women who experience severe complications from COVID-19 in pregnancy have a higher chance of stillbirth, of having a smaller baby, and of delivering their baby prematurely.
COVID-19 vaccines reduce the chance of becoming unwell and of needing hospital treatment. Through reducing the risk of severe illness, some studies have also shown that vaccination decreases the risk of stillbirth and premature delivery, and that booster doses may decrease the risk even further.
Are there any risks of having the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy?
No. Studies of large numbers of women have found that COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy does not increase the risk of:
- Miscarriage
- Birth defects
- Stillbirth
- Preterm delivery
- Problems with the baby’s growth
- The baby dying, having other medical complications, or needing hospital treatment in the first month of life
There is no known risk with using any non-live vaccines in pregnancy, and the UK COVID-19 vaccines are non-live.
Pregnant women do not appear to get more side effects from the vaccine compared to non-pregnant women.
Are there any alternatives to having a COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy?
COVID-19 vaccines are the most effective option for reducing the chance of severe COVID-19. Although antiviral medications can help to treat severe COVID-19, there is less information on the safety of these medications in pregnancy.
What if I prefer not to have a COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy?
COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all pregnant women to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 as well as pregnancy complications including stillbirth and preterm delivery. The safety information about the vaccines is very reassuring.
All pregnant women in the UK should be offered an autumn COVID-19 booster vaccination and can decide if having it is right for them.
What is the latest guidance about COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy?
All the latest advice about COVID-19 in pregnancy is available from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists here.
The Royal College of Midwives have produced an information leaflet about COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy which is available here.
The UK Health Security Agency have published advice which is available here.
NHS guidance is available here.
Will my baby need extra monitoring?
All pregnant women in the UK are offered a detailed anomaly scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of routine antenatal care. No extra monitoring for major birth defects is required following COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy.
Are there any risks to my baby if the father has received the COVID-19 vaccine?
There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination in the father can harm the baby through effects on the sperm.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org
How can I help to improve drug safety information for pregnant women in the future?
Our online reporting system allows women with a current or previous pregnancy to create a digitally secure ‘my bumps record’. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, and your pregnancy outcome. You can update your details at any time during pregnancy or afterwards. This information will help us better understand how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies. Please visit https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Login/ to register.
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General information
Up to 1 out of every 5 pregnancies ends in a miscarriage, and 1 in 40 babies are born with a birth defect. These are referred to as the background population risks. They describe the chance of these events happening for any pregnancy before taking factors such as the mother’s health during pregnancy, her lifestyle, medicines she takes and the genetic make up of her and the baby’s father into account.
Medicines use in pregnancy
Most medicines used by the mother will cross the placenta and reach the baby. Sometimes this may have beneficial effects for the baby. There are, however, some medicines that can harm a baby’s normal development. How a medicine affects a baby may depend on the stage of pregnancy when the medicine is taken. If you are on regular medication you should discuss these effects with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant.
If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please ensure the doctor or health care professional treating you is aware of your pregnancy.
When deciding whether or not to use a medicine in pregnancy you need to weigh up how the medicine might improve your and/or your unborn baby’s health against any possible problems that the drug may cause. Our bumps leaflets are written to provide you with a summary of what is known about use of a specific medicine in pregnancy so that you can decide together with your health care provider what is best for you and your baby.
Every pregnancy is unique. The decision to start, stop, continue or change a prescribed medicine before or during pregnancy should be made in consultation with your health care provider. It is very helpful if you can record all your medication taken in pregnancy in your hand held maternity records.
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org