COVID-19 vaccination program
COVID-19

Scientists: No truth Covid-19 vaccines can cause infertility

May 12, 2021, 6:46 AM
Rose De La Cruz

Rose De La Cruz

Writer/Columnist

Scientists say there’s no sound basis for claims circulating in social media that Covid-19 vaccines can cause infertility.

THERE is no truth to claims in social media that Covid-19 can cause infertility, experts from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine recently announced.

The experts said the likely origin of the myth is a false report that arose on social media claiming the coronavirus and the vaccines against it contain a spike protein called syncytin-1.

This protein is vital in the development and attachment of the placenta during pregnancy, and damage to it can result in miscarriages as well as infertility.

In truth, however, Covid-19’s spike protein and syncytin-1 do not share a similar genetic code, meaning that the vaccines do not include this heightened risk for infertility.

Dr. Lusine Aghajanova, an assistant clinical professor at the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Stanford, told Yahoo News that these false claims about the coronavirus vaccines affecting fertility in both men and women are “concerning” and have no “scientific basis.”

“We are trying to debunk the myths and also give the scientific background for anything we do,” Aghajanova said. “The short answer to the question — Can [Covid-19] vaccines affect my fertility? — the answer is no,” she added.

Contrary to rumors, the COVID-19 vaccines do not contain a live virus and they do not interact with or alter your DNA in any way.

The mRNA vaccines such as those created by Pfizer/BionTech and Moderna use messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to stimulate an immune response that can protect against future infection.

Once it delivers the instructions to your cells, the mRNA breaks down and disappears from the body.

In addition, all the Covid-19 vaccines have undergone rigorous safety protocols in order to be granted emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

These, Aghajanova says, are very reassuring and “show that these vaccines are not only effective, but they’re also safe for a wide range of people, age, ethnicity, sex, etc.”

Although pregnant women were not included in the Covid-19 vaccine trials, Aghajanova says, there has been no evidence of loss of fertility in the studies conducted on animals, which were a critical part of the Covid-19 vaccine development process.

Still, pregnant women should consult with their doctor before inoculating themselves against Covid-19.

According to the CDC, pregnant women who have Covid-19 are more likely to get severely ill from the disease compared with nonpregnant people.

They also appear more likely to develop respiratory complications requiring intensive care and are also more likely to be placed on a ventilator, according to the agency.

Three leading organizations in the country that specialize in pregnancy and fertility — the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine — all recommend that pregnant women and women of reproductive age get vaccinated.

Finally, Aghanova says, the best advice she can give people who are concerned about the vaccines is to talk to their providers.

“If you have an OB GYN or if you have fertility specialists, I think these people are best equipped to answer your questions,” she said.
“If you do not have those, just talk to your primary care physicians. Don’t try to find answers on Facebook or elsewhere; just talk to people that know the best in this situation.”

(RdlC)

Tags: #Covid19, #Covid19vaccines, #sideeffects, #infertility


We take a stand
OpinYon News logo

Designed and developed by Simmer Studios.

© 2024 OpinYon News. All rights reserved.