For those considering the COVID-19 vaccination, our current advice is to follow the recommendations from Public Health.
As of April 23, 2021 pregnant people have been added to the “highest risk” category and can book a COVID -19 vaccine through the provincial website. A doctor’s note is not required.
In making a decision about whether to get vaccinated, each individual should weigh the risk vs. benefit for themselves.
All of the current data suggests that all vaccines that are currently available are considered very safe.
It is likely that the risks associated with COVID-19 infection are significantly greater than any potential risk associated with the vaccines.
For this reason, the benefit of vaccination for most individuals far exceeds the risk.
If you are not pregnant yet, it is likely that the benefit of getting vaccinated far outweighs any risk and we recommend that you get vaccinated if you have the chance.
These vaccines were not specifically studied in pregnant or breastfeeding individuals and for that reason we cannot comment on the specific risks in this population. We also are learning more every day about the risks of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Although we cannot say anything with certainty, it is very likely that the benefit of vaccination will outweigh the risk in this population as well.
The current recommendation is that there is no need to delay pregnancy after vaccination and that the second dose can be received at the usual scheduled time even in pregnancy.
Prior to vaccination, all of the vaccination centers offer information about the vaccines and screen individuals for contraindications to vaccination. If you have an allergy to one of the components of the vaccine or if you have had a previous adverse reaction to vaccination, please discuss this with the vaccination center.
If you are interested in reading more about the COVID-19 vaccination, please see the following information from SOGC, Ministry of Health and CFAS:
The Ministry of Health has also developed a patient decision tool regarding COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people:
If you do decide to have the vaccine check with your nurse in timing of any procedure that may be coming up for you, as you may have some symptoms from the vaccine and may not pass the COVID screening of the clinic.
