26 • August 11, 2022 - August 17, 2022
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Health Factcheck: COVID-19 vaccines do not cause infertility Claim: The COVID-19 vaccine should not be administered to individuals who want to get pregnant or are currently pregnant due to concerns that the vaccine may cause infertility. Fact: No evidence has been found that suggests that COVID-19 vaccines have any effect on fertility or pregnancies. By ELLEN PARK and SAHEEL MITHA Special to the AmNews
believe or are unsure whether COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to cause infertility. Moreover, researcher Abbasi finds As the novel COVID-19 virus progressed that about a third of pregnant adults in at dangerous rates with the threat of a new the U.S. still remain unvaccinated as of variant emergence in 2020, a not so novel early February 2022. This is particularanti-vaccine myth emerged that targeted a particularly vulnerable group: those who are wanting to become or are pregnant. In the midst of the first COVID-19 vaccines receiving emergency authorization, misinformation was circulating on social media, falsely claiming that the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility. One false claim was attributed to a discredited former head of Pfizer research alleging a mechanism through which the vaccine causes infertility. Unsubstantiated reports such as these have fueled COVID vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, instilling fear and uncertainty in individuals who want to get pregnant or who are currently pregnant. When asked why vaccine misinformation like this finds credibility, Dr. Taraneh Shirazian, MD, director of the division of global women’s health in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine said, “Vaccine misinformation may [seem] credible for some individuals due to political reasons, social reasons, and the individualization of the United States spread within social media.” The unattributed example of misinformation spread the rumor that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines can train the female body to attack the placental protein called syncytin-1, which causes in- ly concerning as the communities at risk fertility. However, there is no data to sup- are mainly the marginalized and minoriport this argument. tized, due to the historical mistreatment According to Dr. Shirazian, “The vac- and long-standing disparities. cine or virus has no affinity to the placenIn order to tackle vaccine misinformatal protein. The mRNA vaccine is simply a tion and mitigate people’s mistrust of code that teaches cells to create antibodies healthcare providers, “healthcare providwithout exposure to the virus.” In addition, ers need to have more dialogue around there is no concrete evidence that sug- healthcare and vaccines, go into commugests that the COVID-19 vaccine will have nities with health education programs, any effect on fertility; individuals who are and uplift individuals to make their own planning or trying to get pregnant can and choices and find places that will provide should receive the vaccine.” the appropriate resources needed,” stated While the widespread use of mRNA vac- Dr. Shirazian. cines are fairly new, it is important to note Many pregnant people incorrectly do not that human trial studies using mRNA vac- think that receiving the vaccine is necescine have been conducted since 2006. sary, due to a multitude of different reaDespite the plethora of research conduct- sons. One reason is that some individuals ed on debunking the myth that vaccines may be wary due to the fact that the vaccause infertility, according to a KFF report, cine itself can change the menstrual cycle. nearly three-in-ten of surveyed U.S. adults “Any new change introduced into the
body will cause a disturbance, requiring the body to accommodate. Additionally, changes in the menstrual cycle does not equate [to] changes in fertility” said Dr. Shirazian. Another reason is that people may think because they already had COVID-19, they may have immunity from the virus. However, the latest trends show that many people are becoming reinfected due to the prevalence of different viral strains as well as the prolonged stay of the virus. Previous exposure to one strain of COVID19 does not necessarily mean that someone will be immune against future reinfections, but receiving the vaccine and getting boosted can better protect an individual and can mitigate the negative health effects that are experienced if someone tests positive. “In addition, the antibodies that the mother generates through being vaccinated can be passed onto the newborn,” states Dr. Shirazian. Therefore, to build immunity from COVID-19 in a newborn infant, the mother should get vaccinated. With the evolution of the virus, Dr. Laith Abu-Raddad, an infectious disease epidemiologist studying COVID-19 reinfection patterns from Weill Cornell Medicine at Qatar, said in an interview, “There is strong immune evasion that reduces protection from the virus at 50% or more. As the virus is evolving and new strains emerge, immune evasion increases.” Because of this, “receiving a vaccination with the booster is the most effective way
to protect yourself from reinfection, in addition to using masks and social distancing,” Dr. Abu-Raddad added. Pregnant people are a very vulnerable group, as the body is undergoing change, and should get vaccinated in order to build protection against severe symptoms and resistance from the virus—for them and their newborns. If you are pregnant or considering getting pregnant and have doubts about the impact of a COVID19 vaccine you should speak with your doctor or a qualified medical professional to get the facts. To get a vaccination or booster, visit https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/ or call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829). These and other resources can also be accessed on the AmNews’ COVID-19 page: www.amsterdamnews.com/covid/
