NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is encouraging expectant mothers and those hoping to get pregnant in the future to get their jab as soon as possible to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Receiving two doses of the vaccine – which has been endorsed by the Royal College of Obstetricians – is the safest and most effective way of protecting you and your baby.
Pregnant women are more likely to be more severely unwell if they develop COVID-19 which can cause problems such as premature births and sometimes even stillbirths.
You cannot catch COVID-19 from the vaccines and cannot pass it to your baby through your breast milk. You can still get vaccinated whilst breastfeeding.
Dr Frances Yarlett, a Sheffield GP and a clinical director at The Lowdown, the world’s first review platform for contraception, was vaccinated whilst she was pregnant herself and is encouraging expectant mums to do the same.
She said: “The COVID-19 vaccination is safe and effective – there’s nothing in it that can harm yourself or your baby.
“We know that some people have concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine may affect your pregnancy but I’m here to reassure you that there is absolutely no scientific evidence for that.”
For those hoping to conceive a child in the near future can also get fully vaccinated safely, without worries over fertility.
“Researchers have not been able to find any plausible, biological reasons why the vaccine could affect your fertility,” Dr Yarlett said.
“It’s completely safe and before you turn 20 years old, women will have had at least 23 separate vaccinations and none of those have been known to affect fertility, so why would this one?”
Alun Windle, Chief Nurse and Covid Vaccination Lead at NHS Sheffield CCG, added: “Pregnant women are more likely to become severely unwell if they catch COVID-19, which can cause complications like stillbirth or a premature birth. There’s no evidence that the vaccine affects fertility now or in the future. Before the COVID-19 vaccinations were rolled out, there were dozens of pregnancies of women in the clinical trials.
“Vaccines are safe and effective. It’s disappointing to see that fewer pregnant women have taken the opportunity for a vaccine and I would encourage them not to delay any further.”
It’s easy and convenient to get your vaccine, there’s a number of walk-in or bookable locations across the city, to help fit around your availability. Find out when and where to get your vaccination here: www.sheffieldccg.nhs.uk/Your-Health/covid-19-vaccine.htm