MHRA finds no evidence that Covid vaccines raise miscarriage risk

The MHRA also said they could not establish a link between vaccines and fertility issues.
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There is no evidence to suggest that coronavirus vaccines affect fertility or the ability to have children, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has said.

The UK medicine regulator have also found no pattern from reports so far to suggest that any vaccines increase the risk of stillbirth or miscarriage.

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At a glance: 5 key points

  • The MHRA published an update on Monday, August 16, saying that “there is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines will affect fertility and the ability to have children”.
  • It said the numbers of reports of miscarriages and stillbirth are “low in relation to the number of pregnant women who have received Covid-19 vaccines to date and how commonly these events occur in the UK outside of the pandemic”.
  • The regulator added: “There is no pattern from the reports to suggest that any of the Covid-19 vaccines used in the UK, or any reactions to these vaccines, increase the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
  • “There is no pattern from the reports to suggest that any of the Covid-19 vaccines used in the UK increase the risk of congenital anomalies or birth complications,” they also said.
  • The analysis comes after a number of anti-vaccination campaigns have preyed on fears about infertility to discourage people - especially women - from getting the jab.

What’s been said

The MHRA said it is also currently reviewing reports of the impact of the vaccine on menstrual cycles and vaginal bleeding, but has so far found nothing to support a link, saying:

“The menstrual changes reported are mostly transient in nature”.

Background

While the MHRA has not found a link between vaccines and problems with fertility or birth, there is a connection between contracting coronavirus and premature births.

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Pregnant women who do get symptomatic Covid-19 are two to three times more likely to give birth to their baby prematurely.

In April, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) updated its guidance to say that pregnant women should be offered a Covid-19 jab at the same time as the rest of the population based on their age and clinical risk group.

Additional reporting by PA.

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