10 TRUTHS ABOUT
Women and COVID-19 Vaccines

Myth: Pregnant women should wait until after delivery to get vaccinated.
Truth: Pregnant women should get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and the health of their babies. If infected with COVID-19, pregnant women are more likely to have a severe case of COVID-19 and their babies are at increased risk for preterm birth.

Myth: During pregnancy, infants cannot gain antibodies from their mothers.
Truth: There is evidence from several studies that antibodies can be passed from mother to baby across the placenta, so the child is born with antibodies. There is limited evidence that breastfeeding can confer antibodies to the infant.

Myth: Most vaccines are not safe for breastfeeding women.
Truth: Most vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, are safe for breastfeeding women. Breastfeeding women routinely receive nearly all other vaccines.

Myth: Women must receive COVID-19 vaccination in a certain trimester.
Truth: The CDC recommends all women get vaccinated as soon as possible to combat the threat of ongoing COVID-19 transmission in the US.

Myth: There is no study information about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy.
Truth: While pregnant women were excluded from initial vaccine clinical trials, there is now substantial and reassuring study information that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe in pregnancy. Over 4,700 women are enrolled in a CDC-FDA birth registry that is reporting no abnormal adverse events in pregnant individuals.
Myth: COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility.
Truth: There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility in women or men.
Myth: COVID-19 vaccines cause changes in menstruation and menopause.
Truth: Many factors can affect menstruation, like stress, sleep, changes in weight, infections, and many diseases. There is no current evidence that vaccines directly cause menstrual irregularities or early menopause.

Myth: There is no system to monitor pregnant women for side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.
Truth: Over 100,000 pregnant women are contributing to V-Safe, the CDC's postvaccination surveillance app. V-Safe data shows short-term side effects such as fever, redness at injection site, and fatigue are similar in pregnant and non-pregnant women.
Myth: Pregnant women need a note from their healthcare provider before being able to receive a vaccine.
Truth: All women, regardless of pregnancy status, are receiving vaccinations in the same way. Women do not need a note from their obstetrician certifying they can get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Myth: Vaccination is linked to a heightened risk of miscarriages.
Truth: The CDC's V-Safe app is currently monitoring vaccinated women for miscarriage side effects. There appears to be no increased risk of miscarriage after vaccination.

For more information, visit:
dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/
recommendations/pregnancy.html