The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone 5 years and older get the COVID-19 vaccination. This includes anyone who is pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill if they catch COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine reduces the chance of severe illness in people who are pregnant. When caregivers get the COVID-19 vaccine, they also help protect their newborn.
Some people have questions related to the vaccine and fertility. These are key facts about the COVID-19 vaccine.
- COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Worldwide, billions of COVID-19 vaccines have been safely administered.
- COVID-19 vaccines have undergone the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. This includes studies for children as young as 5.
- COVID-19 vaccines do not affect people’s ability to have children. There is no evidence the vaccines affect women’s ability to get pregnant, nor does it affect men’s reproductive ability.
- COVID-19 vaccines do not cause impotence.
- COVID-19 vaccines CANNOT change a person’s DNA.
Below are answers to commonly asked questions about fertility concerns related to the COVID-19 vaccine.
What are possible side effects after vaccination for myself or for my children?
Some people have side effects after vaccination and some people do not. Side effects show that your body is building protection against the virus. The most common side effects after the COVID-19 vaccination include tenderness, redness, and swelling of the area where you received the shot. In addition, you may experience tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. For both adults and children, these side effects typically last 1 or 2 days.
While side effects can be uncomfortable, adults and children who are vaccinated are less likely to catch the virus and much less likely to get dangerously ill from the virus. A healthcare provider can give you advice for how you can make you or your child more comfortable if side effects occur.
Will the vaccine affect my or my child’s future fertility? What about puberty?
No, the COVID-19 vaccines do not affect puberty or future fertility. The vaccines have been extensively studied and there have been no effects on fertility.
There is a lot of information about the COVID-19 vaccines – some of it factual and some of it not true. The most important thing is for you to go to sources that are reliable, and that use studied, scientific facts. This will allow you to get all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family. Sometimes it is also helpful to talk to someone you trust and whom you know has accurate information – like a doctor, nurse, or a community health worker. Many of these professionals have already gotten the vaccine so they can also tell you about their experiences.
Here are some resources that might be helpful:
Websites
- “Is it True? COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Checking” from King County, WA in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, Khmer, Korean, Marshallese, Oromo, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Tongan, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
- “Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines” in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese
Video Resources
Does the vaccine affect menstruation?
On rare occasions, vaccines can change someone's menstruation, but this change is temporary and does not affect fertility.
There are a lot of things that can affect menstruation, including stress from school or work, new medications, illness, or a change in your exercise habits or nutrition. The most important thing to remember is that the COVID-19 vaccines do not affect puberty or fertility.
Is it safe to get the vaccine while breastfeeding?
Yes, it is safe to get the vaccine while breastfeeding. The vaccine will protect you from getting infected, getting seriously ill, and spreading it to loved ones.
When caregivers get the COVID-19 vaccine, they also help protect their newborn. Recent reports show that caregivers who received the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) have antibodies in their breast milk that may help protect their babies. The COVID-19 vaccines cannot cause a COVID-19 infection in anyone. Since the vaccine will protect the breastfeeding caregiver from getting the infection, it will also protect the newborn because they are less likely to spread it to their baby.
Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I’m currently pregnant or trying to become pregnant?
Yes. The benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant people outweigh any potential risks.
The CDC recommends the COVID-19 vaccine for anyone over the age of 5. This includes anyone who is pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Thousands of pregnant people have been safely vaccinated without problems for themselves or their babies. There is also no evidence that that the vaccines made pregnant people more likely to miscarry.
Vaccines are recommended for pregnant women because they are more likely to become seriously ill and die from COVID-19 than people who are not pregnant. In fact, pregnant women are more than two times as likely to get hospitalized and more than 70% more likely to die than someone who is not pregnant.
Pregnant people also have an increased risk of preterm birth if they get COVID-19. The vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your family from complications that arise from COVID-19.
If you have further questions you should talk to a trusted healthcare provider.
Will the COVID-19 vaccine prevent me from getting pregnant in the future?
No, the COVID-19 vaccine has no effect on fertility and will not prevent someone from getting pregnant in the future. The vaccines have been extensively studied and there have been no effects on fertility.
There is a lot of information about the COVID-19 vaccines – some of it factual and some of it not true. The most important thing is for you to go to sources that are reliable, and that use studied, scientific facts. This will allow you to get all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family. Sometimes it is also helpful to talk to someone you trust and whom you know has accurate information – like a doctor, nurse, or a community health worker. Many of these professionals have already gotten the vaccine so they can also tell you about their experiences. Here are some resources that might be helpful:
Websites
- “Is it True? COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Checking” from King County, WA in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, Khmer, Korean, Marshallese, Oromo, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Tongan, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
- “Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines” in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese
Video Resources
Does the COVID-19 vaccine change people’s DNA?
No, the COVID-19 vaccines will not change your DNA.
There is a lot of information about the COVID-19 vaccines – some of it factual and some of it not true. The most important thing is for you to go to sources that are reliable, and that use studied, scientific facts. This will allow you to get all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family. Sometimes it is also helpful to talk to someone you trust and whom you know has accurate information – like a doctor, nurse, or a community health worker. Many of these professionals have already gotten the vaccine so they can also tell you about their experiences. Here are some resources that might be helpful:
Websites
- “Is it True? COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Checking” from King County, WA in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, Khmer, Korean, Marshallese, Oromo, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Tongan, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
- “Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines” in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese
Video Resources
I’ve heard the vaccine will make me impotent. Is this true?
No. There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine will make you impotent. The vaccines have been extensively studied and no evidence has been found that shows the vaccines causing any problems of this nature.
There is a lot of information about the COVID-19 vaccines – some of it factual and some of it not true. The most important thing is for you to go to sources that are reliable, and that use studied, scientific facts. This will allow you to get all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family. Sometimes it is also helpful to talk to someone you trust and whom you know has accurate information – like a doctor, nurse, or a community health worker. Many of these professionals have already gotten the vaccine so they can also tell you about their experiences. Here are some resources that might be helpful:
Websites
- “Is it True? COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Checking” from King County, WA in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, Khmer, Korean, Marshallese, Oromo, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Tongan, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
- “Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines” in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese
Video Resources
- “COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy” from New American Neighbors in Amharic, Arabic, Dari, French, Nepali, Pashto, Somali
- “How to Spot Fact vs. Fiction Online” from the Washington State Department of Health in English
