Since the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, many doubts have been raised about the safety of the vaccination during or after a fertility treatment, in which the patient is trying to achieve a pregnancy. At our fertility clinics we recommend not postponing the start or continuation of fertility treatments due to coronavirus vaccination.

‘Our patients can be vaccinated without any problem before or during their fertility treatment.  As a precautionary measure, we recommend the second dose to be given at least two weeks or more before the transfer,’ informs Dr. Sergio Rogel, one of the medical directors of the IVF Life Group.

The indications on this issue provided by relevant scientific communities such as the Spanish Association for the Study of Reproduction Biology (ASEBIR), the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF), the American Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) follow very clear guidelines:

• The currently available vaccines – Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, among others – are mRNA vaccines that do not contain a live-attenuated virus. The risk of increased infertility, miscarriage in the first or second trimester, fetal death or congenital anomalies is ruled out.

• Pregnant women and women that are breastfeeding were excluded from the initial phase III trials of these vaccines. However, animal studies have not shown any harmful effect on pregnancy. Since information on the use of the vaccine during pregnancy is still very limited, we at IVF-Life recommend not to vaccinate patients who are already pregnant.

• If a patient decides to get vaccinated during a fertility treatment, it is recommended, as a precautionary measure, to postpone the insemination or embryo transfer to two weeks after the administration of the second dose.

• It is not considered necessary to interrupt the study process, ovarian stimulation, obtaining gametes or the generation of embryos. At present, there are no scientific arguments that establish limitations for patients who wish to become pregnant and get vaccinated.