According to experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine, no evidence has been found to suggest COVID-19 vaccine affects fertility. In a Boston University study of 2,000 couples examining the effects of COVID-19 on fertility, scientists found that the vaccine has no impact on the ability to conceive. Additionally, scientists found no difference in the likelihood of conception between couples in which either partner had been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Fertility and COVID-19 Infection
The results of this study suggest fertility is affected by the COVID-19 virus (not the vaccine), and research has found that “in couples trying to get pregnant, conception was down 18 percent in the three months after the male partner was infected with COVID-19″ (NIH news release). While it isn’t entirely clear why this is the case in couples trying to conceive after a COVID-19 infection, some possible reasons include “the effects of fever on sperm formation, hormonal changes, and inflammation that impedes sperm production.” These effects were seen in males who had been infected with COVID-19 within 60 days of their partner’s menstrual cycle, suggesting that there may be short-term reduced male fertility as a result of COVID-19 infection.
Additionally, scientists have debunked the rumors that the vaccine can affect the placenta or sperm.
The CDC currently recommends that people trying to get pregnant get their COVID-19 vaccine and stay up to date on their booster shots.
COVID-19 Vaccination and Signs of Infant Immunity
We already know that a COVID-19 infection greatly increases the risk of pregnancy complications, including pre-term delivery or stillbirth. New research from the Journal of the American Medical Association highlights the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations to protect both moms and their babies.
The study found 57 percent of six-month-old infants born to moms who were vaccinated against COVID-19 had antibodies to help fight off the virus, compared to only 8 percent of infants born to moms who had a COVID-19 infection during pregnancy.
Another found that “infants whose mothers received two doses of an mRNA COVID vaccine during pregnancy are less likely to be admitted to the hospital for COVID in the first six months of life.” Overall, maternal vaccination was proven 61 percent effective at preventing infant hospitalization because infants carry their mothers’ antibodies.