Covid vaccines 'do not cause' infertility among couples

A study conducted by Boston University has found that Covid-19 vaccines don’t cause infertility or harm pregnancy chances.

Findings of the study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology on 20 January are based on Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

These vaccines do not lead to infertility in female or male partners, and thus do not weaken chances of a pregnancy, the study found.

“Our study shows, for the first time, that Covid-19 vaccination in either partner is unrelated to fertility among couples trying to conceive through intercourse,” Amelia Wesselink, the study’s lead author, said.

However, researchers also found that a Covid-19 infection can lead to a “short-term decrease in fertility” for men.

Urging "informed decision-making"

The research team based their analysis on survey data from the SPH-based Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO).

They gathered information from over two thousand women in the United States and Canada about medical history, lifestyle, and sociodemographic factors from December 2020 to September 2021.

The data showed that fertility rates of women who were vaccinated showed no significant difference from unvaccinated women.

The results were reflected in the fertility rates of their partners as well, with fertility rates of vaccinated and unvaccinated men showing no considerable gap.

Moreover, further analysis showed no association between fertility and vaccine brand or number of jabs.

“These results can be used to guide informed decision-making around Covid-19 vaccination,” the study reads, advising people intending to start a family to get vaccinated.

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