Page 14 - FSANZ Autumn 21 Volume 95 Amended

Discussing COVID vaccine with patients
12
The Australian and New Zealand Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility has provided advice for patients regarding the COVID vaccine and fertility treatments.
Members of the Society are certified Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (CREI) specialists.
Membership in the CREI is strictly limited to specialists who have been certified in the sub-speciality of reproductive endocrinology and infertility by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
ANZSREI President, Dr Clare Boothroyd, said the
Society’s executive approved the information in February 2021 as general guidance to patients. Details are as follows:
Should you get a covid-19 vaccine during fertility treatment?
Yes. The vaccine will protect you from COVID-19.
COVID-19 vaccines provoke an immune response to proteins associated with the SARS Cov2 virus. They can induce side effects for a few days like injection site soreness, headache, tiredness, muscle ache or a raised temperature.
There in no evidence they will affect your fertility or the outcomes of your treatment cycle or your reproductive health. Information on the effect of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy is still incomplete, but the current data suggests that women in pregnancy are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection and therefore vaccination prior to pregnancy is beneficial.
Should I delay fertility treatment?
No. There is no reason to delay fertility treatment. If you wish to delay treatment until your second dose of the vaccine for COVID-19, a few months delay is unlikely to reduce your chance of pregnancy unless you have a low ovarian reserve, or are over 37 years of age.
Can I have the vaccine if I am pregnant?
COVID-19 vaccines do not contain any live virus particles. The mRNA 157 (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna), and viral (Ad-5) vector (AstraZeneca), COVID-19 vaccines are novel in design.
Pregnant women were excluded from clinical trials measuring safety.
The effects of the COVID-19 vaccine have not been established for pregnant women, but preliminary evidence from vaccinated women overseas is reassuring.
As the vaccine is not a live vaccine, it is unlikely to cause harm. The decision to have the vaccine in pregnancy depends on the risk of acquiring COVID-19, which is currently low for many women in Australia and New Zealand due to vigilant case control measures and sustained community commitment to reduction of transmission.
Clare Boothroyd
There is no evidence vaccine will affect your fertility or the outcomes of your treatment cycle or your reproductive health
However if you are at high risk (for example working in hotel quarantine facilities, a front line health care worker or working in aged care facilities) you may make the decision to have the vaccine in pregnancy.
You should discuss your individual situation and risk with your doctor.
Should I have the vaccine if I have recurrent miscarriage?
There is currently no evidence of an increased risk of miscarriage following COVID-19 vaccination.
Advice for men
There are a number of reports that male fertility may be influenced by infection with COVID-19. There is no data on the effect of vaccination against COVID-19, and therefore vaccination is recommended.
Can I be an egg or sperm donor if I have the vaccine?
Yes. There are no risks to you. There is no virus in the vaccine so there are no risks of transmission to the recipient of the sperm or eggs.