No. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine will not affect your fertility – and there is no reason to delay pregnancy upon receiving the vaccine, as it does not contain any ingredient that could lead to fertility issues among men or women. 

This false claim is based on a blog post circulated in December of 2020 that claimed the vaccine could cause the body to attack syncytin-1, a protein in the placenta that shares a small piece of genetic code with the spike protein of the coronavirus. 

While similar, these two proteins are not the same. It’s like comparing oranges to lemons—they’re both citrus fruits, yes, but if you plant a lemon seed you won’t be growing an orange tree. Studies have all shown no significant relationship between the vaccine and fertility issues [1]. This includes relationships to miscarriage and sperm counts [2,3].  Although there might be the one small similarity, the overall structure of the protein is completely different, and your immune system is way too smart to be confused by that.

In short, no! The menstrual cycle is itself a cycle of immunity. The immune system is suppressed during ovulation to allow sperm to enter. It then kicks in again in order to shed the lining of the uterus. 

While some women have noted a change in their menstrual cycle after vaccination, these changes can be explained by a number of different factors including stress, illness, or lifestyle changes. The COVID-19 vaccination has not been found to have any direct link to changes in menstrual cycles, and doctors and scientists do not see any physiological reason for this to occur, and the evidence around abnormal periods is so far purely anecdotal [4,5].

Ultimately, menstrual health can be a reflection of one’s overall health, and periods, including length and flow of a menstrual cycle, vary widely from person to person.  Vaccines are safe, effective and necessary to end the pandemic.

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Citations:
1. Male, V. Are COVID-19 vaccines safe in pregnancy?. Nat Rev Immunol 21, 200–201 (2021). 
2. Cosma S, Carosso AR, Cusato J, et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 and first trimester spontaneous abortion: a case-control study of 225 pregnant patients. Am 3. J Obstet Gynecol 2021;224:391.e1-7.
Gonzalez DC, Nassau DE, Khodamoradi K, et al. Sperm Parameters Before and After COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination. JAMA. 2021;326(3):273–274. 
4. Womens Health. Cleveland Clinic. Will a COVID-19 Vaccine Throw Your Period Off? July 9, 2021. 
5. Li K, Chen G, Hou H, et al. Analysis of sex hormones and menstruation in COVID-19 women of child-bearing age. Reprod Biomed Online. 2021;42(1):260-267. 

Yes! The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) all agree that the COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to pregnant and breastfeeding women [1]. While initial clinical trials did not include pregnant women, studies have now been conducted to confirm the vaccine is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women, including evidence showing no increased risk for miscarriage [2]. The CDC has continued its commitment to widespread monitoring using multiple surveillance programs to ensure safety [3]. One of these systems, known as v-safe, reports that 158,000+ pregnant women have already been vaccinated, and 5,100+ women have become pregnant after vaccination [4].

No! COVID-19 vaccination does not affect fertility, including in-vitro fertilization (IVF) [5,6]. Vaccination also dramatically decreases the chance of infection and reduces risk of severe illness, ultimately protecting both mothers and their babies. On the other hand, getting COVID-19 can be a significant risk to both pregnant and non-pregnant women’s health. Pregnant women are at increased risk for health complications during and after pregnancy due to COVID-19 infection [6,7].

Most vaccines are not recommended for pregnant people, outside of the flu, Tdap and COVID-19 vaccine. This is because many vaccines use "live virus" technology which is potentially dangerous to a baby. mRNA vaccines used in the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are not live virus vaccines and are non-infectious, meaning they cannot give you COVID-19. Additionally, these vaccines do not affect or interact with your own DNA in any way. While COVID-19 vaccines are relatively new, the technology behind them has been around for many years and is held to the same rigorous safety and effectiveness standards as all other types of vaccines. With COVID-19 posing larger risks for pregnant women and unborn children, vaccination is a important step in protecting the health of both mother and baby.

Yes! Infants depend on their mothers for immunity. The vaccine itself stays near the muscle of the injection site and surrounding lymph nodes, but the antibodies it creates circulate the bloodstream [8]. These antibodies then cross the placenta during the last 3 months of pregnancy via the bloodstream or enter the breast and are passed on to the baby through breast milk [9]. Studies show this to be true for COVID-19 vaccine antibodies as well [10].

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Citations:

1. UC Davis Health. The truth behind COVID-19 vaccines and women’s health. July 28, 2021.
2. Cosma S, Carosso AR, Cusato J, et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 and first trimester spontaneous abortion: a case-control study of 225 pregnant patients. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021;224:391.e1-7.
3. Center for Disease Control. Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 during Pregnancy. Updated Aug 11, 2021.
4. Center for Disease Control. V-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry. Updated September 14,  2021.
5. Male, V. Are COVID-19 vaccines safe in pregnancy?. Nat Rev Immunol 21, 200–201 (2021).
6. UChicago Medicine. COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy: What you need to know if you're pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. September 9, 2021.
7. Ko, JY, DeSisto, CL, Simeone, RM, et al. Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, Maternal Complications, and Severe Illness Among US Delivery Hospitalizations With and Without a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Diagnosis. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2021; 73 (1): S24–S31. 
8. Nebraska Medicine. How long do mRNA and spike proteins last in the body? July 2, 2021.
9. National Health Service. How long do babies carry their mother's immunity? Reviewed June 9, 2021.
10. Gray KJ, Bordt EA, Atyeo C, et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine response in pregnant and lactating women: a cohort study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021;225(3):303.e1-303.e17.