Dr. Asha Baxi, Senior Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist , Motherhood Hospital, Indore
Can someone take vaccination during fertility treatment?
According to the health care, experts’ patients undergoing fertility treatment should be encouraged to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to them. To date, we have not seen any evidence of vaccination impacting before or during fertility treatment. It is always recommended seeking for a fertility expert to clear all the doubts and get the right advice. However, couples may want to consider their timing of having a Covid-19 vaccine during their fertility treatment as there might be side effects to the vaccines for which they might need to reschedule their treatment. Side effects that can be seen from the vaccines are fever, headache, feeling tired or body ache. It is advised to scheduled fertility treatment like frozen embryo transfer, egg freezing, ovulation induction, or intrauterine insemination, a few days after vaccination so the side effects such as fever or body ache do not affect the fertility treatment. The fertility specialist will be able to advise the best time and then couples can plan it accordingly.
If a woman conceives after the 1st dose, can she go for the second dose as per its schedule?
There are no specific guidelines on vaccination during pregnancy. The vaccine is unlikely to cause any harm to the developing foetus but as a matter of abundant caution, you are advised to skip your second dose. Or if someone is planning for pregnancy, one must finish taking doses first, consult their gynaecologist and go for preconception counselling.
If a woman is due for an embryo transfer after her 1st dose, will it be safe for her to go for the second dose after the treatment, or is it better if she gets done with both doses before she ventures to it?
The COVID vaccine does not cause issues with any kind of fertility treatment. It is safe and effective to take the COVID vaccine if the woman is a patient taking fertility treatment, embryo transfer, etc. She can take the vaccine in any kind of fertility treatment, whether it be ovulation induction, IUI, IVF, etc. There is no research that says that after getting the COVID vaccine you must refrain from getting fertility treatments for the following few months.
If the woman has gotten a schedule for her vaccination and is presently undergoing or thinking of undergoing fertility treatment – please do not avoid the vaccine, as it protects you. The woman should discuss with her Gynaecologist or infertility specialist and take the vaccination as advised.
Which vaccine will the doctor prescribe a woman if she is undergoing fertility treatment and it is safe?
There is no such thing called “best vaccine”. One must go for vaccination whichever is available because both Covisheild and Covaxin will give you the same protection against the covid 19 virus.
Conclusion-It is advisable to start the treatment after the 1st dose if it is Covishield or Covaxin. Or the treatment can also be started after both doses as well. But 1st dose is a must for their safety. However, the government is yet to make tests and confirm if it is safe for a pregnant woman to take the covid -19 vaccine, the second dose after conceiving can be kept on hold.
Safety is first, it is not necessary to hold the vaccination, it is better to get it done whenever the slot has been scheduled, then later treatments can be given a start. It also differs on the age of the women who want to undergo the IVF treatment, if she is less than 25 years of age, she can wait for both doses to get completed. But women more than 30 years of age cannot do the same, so totally depends on the situation the person is in. We should also consider at what stage the couple is in the treatment process and based on their parameters they will be suggested to take the vaccine. Vaccination is of primary importance. Based on when they have taken the vaccine, the treatment can be started accordingly.
It is very essential to be informed of the correct facts and evidence about vaccines. Vaccines are supposed to provide protection, hence women who are planning for their pregnancy or are already pregnant mothers can plan for their vaccination after consulting with their gynaecologist. Reach out to your respective doctors, hear them out and make an informed decision that will only benefit or suit you.
Also get all your family members and caretakers vaccinated. At present, there are no guidelines from the government, so, at least the people around you should be vaccinated.
