(Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, just a mama sharing my experience, so be sure to consult your doctor before making any health decisions for you/your baby.)
When I went to my OBGYN back in February for my first ultrasound with baby #3, one of the main questions I had was whether she recommended I get the covid-19 vaccine. She (like other OBs I had heard of) said that it was my decision, and that there wasn’t much research out there yet for pregnant women and the effects of the vaccine. She did say that getting covid-19 as a pregnant woman could have adverse side-effects on the baby/placenta and that if I did come down with it, they would recommend inducing me at 39 weeks pregnant.
As someone who has had 2 natural births without medicine or intervention, that was a scary thing to hear. My OB said that the blood cell count in your placenta is impacted negatively when a pregnant woman gets covid and so it is for the safety of the baby that they would recommend inducing early.
Before hearing that news, I had thought that I would simply wait to get the covid-19 vaccine until after baby girl was born, however, a possible induction that might hinder my natural childbirth hopes had me questioning. So I began to do some research with the help of my mom (who is an RN). Some of our findings below were helpful for me in determining whether or not to get the vaccine:
- The ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) recommends that eligible pregnant women get the covid-19 vaccine.
- Studies that have been done amongst pregnant women receiving the vaccine (limited as they are) indicate no difference in healthy, full-term births than in studies of pregnant women who have not received the covid-19 vaccine.
- It has been refuted (can also read more here) that vaccines can cause infertility or change a person’s DNA or cause autism.
- While the J&J vaccine has had some issues causing blood clots, Pfizer has been made available to children as young as 12, and it’s been suggested that kids as young as 2 years old will be able to get Pfizer by this Fall.
- From the word of my OBGYN (and the A.C.O.G), it seems that getting sick with covid-19 has been worse for baby and mama, causing pregnancy complications, more so than receiving the vaccine itself.
- MY OB did say if I plan to get the vaccine, it’s best to wait until after I’m 12 weeks pregnant when the first trimester is done, and that Pfizer seems like the safest vaccine option to get.
While the research is still limited, after several conversations with my OBGYN, reading the research above, and spending time in prayer, I decided to get my first Covid-19 vaccine dose at 20 weeks pregnant. I received Pfizer and the only side effect I experienced after my first dose was a sore arm for a day or two. 3 weeks later, I got my second Pfizer dose. A few hours after the dose, I felt a bit dizzy (but could still do regular life tasks/care for my boys regardless), and around that time I began to feel achey for the next 24 hours. Those were my only symptoms besides another sore arm at the injection spot.
After doing the research, and going through the experience, I would say:
- Obviously, this was a decision I wish I didn’t have to make while pregnant. I do not take it lightly that I am the caretaker of not only my own body but of my unborn child as well. Making a decision so weighty with still some uncertainty felt risky, and I am trusting that I believe in my gut that it was the right decision for me and my child.
- I am hopeful about both being further protected from getting covid-19 and that my baby will have the anti-bodies as well. I’m also encouraged that we are one step closer to herd immunity with every vaccine given.
- I’m grateful that the vaccine symptoms didn’t impact me nearly as much as I thought they would. As a pregnant woman who chases 2 little boys in her day to day, that was certainly a relief.
I’ll also just say, this decision is huge and everyone will feel a wide range of emotions and comfortability with it. I totally respect that. My hope in sharing this information, is that every mama can make the best decision for her, given the information and knowledge that’s out there. At the end of the day, we all want mama and baby to be safe and healthy.
Praying for you mama on the journey, and grateful that we can entrust our little ones to Jesus, knowing that He watches over them and loves them most of all.
