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HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE advised people to hold off on trying for a baby or undergoing fertility treatments for a period of time after getting the Covid-19 vaccination.
Speaking at the launch of the government’s vaccine strategy, Dr Lorraine Nolan, Chief Executive of the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) said the clinical trials have been designed to provide as much information as possible about those considered to be most vulnerable to Covid-19.
However when the trials began, it was not clear whether an effective and safe vaccine could be delivered and this is why pregnant women were not included.
“It would just be unethical to do that,” she said.
“Pregnancy is one of those areas where we will need further studies, there are some studies which will be concluded by the end of this year.”
Dr Nolan said when this data becomes available in early 2021 “we may be able to look at pregnancy differently”.
“For the moment the vaccine just shouldn’t be used in pregnant women until we know more,” she said.
“Similarly, in relation to people that are maybe looking at having a baby or undergoing fertility treatments, the advice for the moment would be if you’re going to be vaccinated to wait a period of time and then to progress it [trying for a baby] then.”
In the UK, public health authorities have recommended that people avoid getting pregnancy until at least two months after their second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
Public Health England has said anyone planning to get pregnant in the next three months should delay their vaccination. If pregnancy occurs between the two doses, the second dose should be delayed until after the pregnancy is over.
Breastfeeding mothers are also advised to wait until they are no longer breastfeeding to get the vaccine.
Public Health England said this advise is precautionary – the evidence reviewed so far raises no concerns for safety in pregnancy or in relation to breastfeeding. When additional evidence is available to support the use of the vaccine in these circumstances, this advice may change.
The European Medicines Agency will address the issue when it gives the go-ahead for vaccines in the coming weeks and months.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said questions will arise about particular groups such as those going through infertility or people who have specific underlying conditions.
“You can always have recourse to your clinicians, your GPs and the other doctors and nurses who are looking after you will be equipped and in a position to answer these kinds of questions,” he said.
With reporting by Christina Finn
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My brother has had 2 kidney transplants first one from our dad and second time from a donor as a family we cannot thank them for being willing to donate organs and their loved ones enough for carrying out their wishes despite their heartbreak and grief. Please let your loved ones know if you want to donate your organs
I will be eternally grateful to my donors family. It is a difficult decision for families at a very difficult time. My donor saved four lives and impacted many many more lives. I know my donors family were happy to see something incredible happen for others out of a very tragic accident. Make your own views known to your nearest and dearest, it makes the decision easier and it makes a huge difference. The gift of life.
It should be an automatic enrolment on the donor list, opt out if you have strong preferences against it
Not hard to implement, and could do away with situations where next of kin aren’t sure of loved one’s wishes, and don’t donate their loved ones organs – “Just in case they wouldn’t have wanted it”.
With an opt-out system we gain hugely I think
And if you’re a transplant recipient – always – send a letter of thanks. It’s anonymous but the comfort it brings to donor families is enormous.
@Niall Sheridan: some can’t believe it or not its a really hard letter to write, the enormity of which shouldn’t be under estimated.
Ireland should operate an automatic opt in system for ORG donations.
Be a hero be a donor
Agreed, why not implement a opt out system in line with the UK system Max and Keira’s Law’. Doubtless the government will engage some external consultants, a couple of years and several millions later, they will reach this conclusion.
My daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 7. We always knew there was an increased risk of kidney disease that would ultimately end In a transplant. What we didn’t expect was when she was 19 to be told she would at some point need at least one liver transplant due to a rare autoimmune liver condition.
(The condition eventually comes back after transplant but can be slowed down) some at the same point she is, by the age of 40 have had 5 transplants, others have had none. Ireland don’t do live liver transplants either as I wanted to be a donor.
Her condition further deteriorated after 18 months due to another chronic severe autoimmune disease. It’s an extremely rare combinations of autoimmune conditions.
I’m not sure how viable my organs will be when I die but whatever they can use they can have. When we die our bodies will be cremated or they will rot where they could be used to actually save lives and give people a chance to live those lives to the full.
have your say