Covid-19 vaccine does not cause Infertility – SASREG
"An additional recent stumbling block has been the fear of contracting Covid-19 which has had an impact on delaying people's fertility journey"
The Southern African Society of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy (SASREG) have urged people struggling with infertility to continue seeking treatment even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although there are no scientific reports that suggest Covid-19 could affect fertility, Sasreg was still worried about the number of people that aren’t seeking treatment because of fear of contracting the virus.
They said they were aware of the amount of misinformation circulating online about the negative impacts the Covid-19 vaccine could have on fertility.
They believe the delay in receiving treatment has been because patients were deliberating if they must receive the vaccine first or not.
“In the past few years, the number of couples seeking infertility treatment has dramatically increased due to factors such as postponement of childbearing in women, and lifestyle factors such as stress, smoking and body weight.
However, an additional recent stumbling block has been the fear of contracting Covid-19 which has had an impact on delaying people’s fertility journeys,” said Dr. Sulaiman Heylen president of Sasreg.
Sasreg has taken the month of June, which is World Infertility Awareness Month, to educate and spread awareness about infertility, especially during the pandemic.
“Delaying fertility treatment due to fear of Covid-19 can further reduce your chances of successful treatment outcomes, with studies showing a reduction in live birth rates in patients who have postponed treatment.
“Treatment was suspended during the hard lockdown, but clinics are open once again. Particularly ‘high risk’ patients, whose chances of falling pregnant would be further reduced by delaying treatment, are encouraged to seek assistance,” said Heylen.
“There’s no evidence that vaccination before or during fertility treatment will impact the outcome of treatment in any way. As the vaccine does not contain an actual virus, there is also no reason to delay pregnancy attempts after vaccination.”
The British Medical Journal reported that it was safe for people undergoing fertility treatment to be vaccinated during treatment. They, however, urged patients to consider the time in which they chose to get vaccinated because of the possible side effects in the first few days of getting vaccinated.
“It’s very important to stress that assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics are safe and have taken precautions to ensure the health and safety of patients and staff, while we await the availability of the vaccines,” said Heylen.
Heylen noted the advances in the field of assisted reproduction over the last decade were substantial enough to assist patients suffering from infertility.
“You are not alone and there are many options available to help you realise your dream of having children.”
SASREG encouraged people to visit their fertility clinics to speak to a doctor about the options available to them.
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