COVID Vaccination Guideline for Fertility Patients and Pregnant Women: Phase 1

As we proceed with the first efforts to vaccinate against SARS-CoV-2; many patients are scrambling to decide how they feel about receiving a vaccination. The current efforts are complicated by opinions that are often driven by politics. The goal of this clinical conversation is provide you with the science—so that you can make your own evidence based decision.  It is also worth nothing that organizations that guide healthcare professions are supporting the use of the vaccine for women that are pregnant or breastfeeding. These organizations include The American College of OB/GYN (ACOG), The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), The American Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) as well as the US Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). In case you don’t want to listen to the entire conversation, here’s the listening guide.

Fertility Treatment+COVID+Vaccine (26:09): https://youtu.be/WpQ0M_IreLQ

1:10  Become informed so you can make your own choice

1:45  Perspective on status (mid December 2020)

4:20 What makes these first vaccines unique ?

6:15 Why are these new vaccines considered so safe?

                ***Listener’s note; this recorded live and I correct myself a couple of times for

                                Mistakenly using the word “virus” instead of  “vaccine”

10:30 [UPDATE] This vaccine has now been approved and is in use

11:45 Why does these vaccines use two injections?  

14:00 Recommendations for women currently going through fertility treatment

17:00 What about women that are currently pregnant or breastfeeding?

20:00 What about vaccines for other preventable diseases like measles?

21:45 Importance of being informed so that you can make an educated decision

23:00 Experience of other democratic countries and how they’re dealing with this pandemic

25:00 Note of gratitude

Stay informed,

~Robert

Robert Greene, MD, FACOG

Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado

UPDATE:

ACOG Statement on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

On April 13, 2021, ACOG released a statement following the CDC and FDA decision to put the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccination program on hold.

“At this time, there is no clear phenotype of women who are more or less likely to experience this rare complication. However, until there is a better understanding of the frequency and impact of this finding, it will be important to encourage pregnant and postpartum women who wish to be vaccinated to receive the mRNA vaccines: Pfizer or Moderna.

“Individuals who have been vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last 21 days who experience severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath should seek immediate evaluation. They should be certain to communicate that they have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to prompt appropriate evaluation. Given the elevated risk for thrombosis experienced by women during pregnancy or the postpartum period and while using birth control pills, evaluation of acute thrombosis is commonly performed in our specialty. Rapid treatment with anticoagulation is the standard; however, this is not the same event and anticoagulation for treatment of CVST is dangerous.” Read the full statement.