Equal number of pregnancies among vaccinated patients
The all-clear has already been given in this respect by the largest phase 3 study of the Comirnaty vaccine from BioNTech/Pfizer. 38,000 people took part – half received the vaccine, the others a placebo. A prerequisite for participation in the vaccination study was a negative pregnancy test for female subjects.
Participants were also required to use contraception for the duration of the study. Nevertheless, some of the vaccinated and unvaccinated participants became pregnant – 12 more women in the vaccinated group than in the unvaccinated group.
Why corona antibodies do not harm the placenta
But how are the vaccines supposed to endanger fertility in the first place? The fears relate primarily to an (alleged) structural similarity between the spike protein of the Covid-19 pathogen Sars-CoV-2 and the body’s own protein syncytin-1 – which is involved in placenta formation. The antibodies that the body produces as a result of vaccination against the spike protein of the viruses could also be directed against syncytin-1 – according to the concern.
Moreover, the sequence in question also lies within the structure of syncytin-1, so a corresponding antibody could not dock there anyway.
And there is another argument: According to this logic, infection with the virus itself would have to make it all the more infertile. This is because the virus also produces the spike protein against which the antibodies are directed. However, attacks on the placenta have not been observed anywhere in the more than 239 million Sars-CoV-2 infections worldwide.
Sperm do not suffer either
The all-clear is given not only for women and girls – but also for men and boys: in artificial insemination, the sperm of vaccinated men proved to be no less agile than that of unvaccinated men. This was confirmed by a study from Israel with data from 36 couples who were undergoing fertility treatment for artificial insemination (IVF) during the period of Covid-19 vaccination. Incidentally, egg quality was also equally good in both groups.
Another American study examined the sperm parameters of 45 men before and after vaccination with 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine. Differences? Again: Absence.
Lack of vaccination protection is particularly risky when trying to have children
The spread of the legend that Corona vaccination makes people infertile is currently endangering one group of people in particular: pregnant women and their children.
Thus, women of childbearing potential should not let misinformation discourage vaccination.
Author & source information
This text corresponds to the requirements of medical literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been reviewed by medical experts.
